Under the Mistletoe
by theaverys
Summary: 25 stories all about Japril Christmases. Each chapter will begin with what year in their marriage the story is in and the stories are in chronological order although sometimes they skip ahead a couple of years. Merry Christmas!
1. All My Bells Are Ringing

Merry *early* Christmas! This year I decided to write a Japril Christmas series called _Under the Mistletoe_. There are 25 chronological short stories, one for each day leading up to Christmas. Each one takes place in a different year of Jackson and April's marriage. I'll begin each story with whatever Christmas song the story is *loosely* based off of and the year of the marriage it takes place in. There will also be flashbacks in some stories which you'll notice in italics. Also, if a story _does_ happen to have an M-rating, I'll note that at the beginning too so you can choose to skip that one if it's not your cup of tea.

The stories are already completed, so I will post once a day until December 25th with an update. Please leave a review, I'd love to hear what you think!

—

All My Bells Are Ringing - Lenka

Prequel.

She stared into the mirror with an overwhelming sense of defeat. The longer she studied herself, the worse she looked. This wasn't actually the truth, but it was the way she thought and the way she felt. She always had.

Fortunately she was pulled out of her daze. "April, we should have left five minutes ago. About ready?" She jumps, wanting him to see anything other than her insecurities.

Instead she nods and pushes her face into as much of a faux-smile as she can muster. "Sorry Matthew, I'm ready. Let's go."

He nods and holds a hand out for her, leading her toward his truck. First he helps her put her jacket on which was a perfectly nice fiancée-ly duty of him. And then in a 'did you really think it would end there?' kind of way he opens the door for her and helps her up into his beast of a truck. They talk about the cold weather, their day at work and how they're both feeling blessed to have two days off in a row. The conversation is anything but personal. It's generic and cold.

Matthew cleared his throat, most likely trying to soothe some of the awkwardness between them. It wasn't always awkward, it was usually just a comfortable silence. They didn't ever end up having much to talk about. "You look… beautiful April." He beamed, looking over toward her seat on the passenger's side. She was wearing a dark red dress, covered in lace. She knew it hugged her body in all the right places and she felt confident in it. It played to her strengths. It was just overall that she felt inadequate for whatever reason.

She forced a smile. "Thank you."

—-

"Wait…. So…" Jo paused, mostly for dramatic effect. "Are you going with Dr. Avery _to_ the Christmas party or are you just going home with him _from_ the Christmas party?"

Stephanie sighed almost as dramatically as Jo paused. "It's Jackson. Can we please just call him Jackson since we've been…together… for months now?" She shook her head and groaned.

Jo laughed, "Jackson. Whatever." But Steph was still quiet and obviously avoiding her questions.

"Well?

She finally spoke up. "We're going together. Of course we're going together."

There was another awkward pause. "Does he know that?" Jo laughed, resulting in a sudden _SMACK_ on her shoulder. Clearly he didn't. And clearly Stephanie was in denial.

—

The ballroom of the Four Seasons – Seattle was decorated to the nines for Christmas. White lights were intricately woven around the walls and ceiling and it illuminated the otherwise dark room. There were large green pine trees decorated with ribbons and tinsel, each in more luxurious color and shades than the last. The room smelled of sugar cookies and pine, a weird mixture that mysteriously worked and radiated Christmas.

By the time April and Matthew arrived, they were nearly the last ones. The room was in full swing and she was able to easily spot nearly all of her favorite co-workers. The only one she couldn't spot was Jackson, not that they were really speaking currently anyway. But it's not like they weren't either. Their relationship was just sort of there these days. Existent, but not.

"Here, you get settled and I'll check our coats." Matthew ushered, pulling a chair out for her at one of the round tables reserved for physicians and their families.

She nodded, scooting in. She was facing the dance floor which was already heavily occupied for it being so early in the night. She noticed the last person she ever thought she'd see on the dance floor immediately. Jackson Avery. For whatever reason he looked surprised to see her too. She'd seen him with Stephanie before, their relationship wasn't new. But then again neither was her relationship with Matthew.

Maybe it was the holidays and the fact that they could've been at this party together, or maybe it was the fact that Matthew was too perfect and she couldn't handle it. Or maybe it was Stephanie. Either way, it became too much too fast and she had to get out. The scented air was suffocating. The dark lights were dizzying. And Jackson Avery was infuriating.

The table she was sitting at shook as she pushed away from it, making a quick break for the some air. She needed to find some place in the hotel that wasn't the washroom and full of people and somewhere where she could be by herself for a minute and clear her head. She needed to remind herself of how things were supposed to be, how they are and how she knows she needs to feel.

The run toward the other end of the hotel was quick and actually kind of surprising. The further she got from the banquet room they were in, the quieter her surroundings were. She ran into the ladies' room on the other side of the hotel, in the empty wing. The tears came gushing out before she could convince them not to. In a struggle to compose herself she was losing it completely. She stilled when the bathroom door was being pushed on. It was single occupancy why was someone out there?

"Just a minute!" She mumbled, taking a deep breath and still struggling for air. The walls were closing in on her.

"April, it's me. Open the door." Jackson begged from the outside, tapping slightly on the exterior while trying not to make a scene.

"Jackson?" She asked, confused. He was just with Stephanie. "What are you doing here?"

He mumbled something and ended with "Just let me in."

She did. But she wasn't happy about it. "I thought you were dancing with Stephanie."

Her eyes were red and puffy, he could barely stomach it. Instead of answering, he moved in her, just wanting to be near her. He wanted to wrap his arms around her waist, wipe a few tears from her eyes, and maybe even push the piece of hair out of her face that always seemed to escape its hold. He knew he shouldn't, it wasn't his place, it might even be considered cheating depending on who you asked. But he didn't care.

When he slowly snaked his hands around her slim waist, she jerked initially but then sighed in contentment. And he felt the same thing. Instant relief. He had her in his arms and it was home.

"Just one dance?" He asked her, pulling her closer and letting her settle her wet face against his chest. She hated him in this moment. She wanted this with him, she always had. And now that her wedding was just a couple of days away it was hopeless.


	2. Blue Christmas

**Blue Christmas – Kelly Clarkston**

**Year 1. **

"She's been out for days. Do you really think there's any chance?" Karev asked Arizona, as they peered into April's room from the window in the hallway. Jackson was passed out in the chair next to her bed where he had been stationed since Graycin's birth. There were still blue balloons and bouquets of flowers from nearly everyone in the hospital decorating the room. Clearly April had a lot of friends because he had never seen anything like it. Not only that, but Arizona had hung a strand of white Christmas lights in her room which were currently the only source of light. So the room glowed. It made sense, seeing as it was Christmas Eve and no one knew if they'd be leaving any time soon.

"I think," Arizona began, choosing her words carefully, "I think she'll wake up shortly and get to see her son. We have to think that Alex. We have to have hope. We have to believe that the surgery worked and that Graycin will show fewer symptoms of OI. We have to believe that April will wake up."

He knew that at this point Arizona wasn't trying to convince him, she was trying to convince herself. "We have to believe in the medicine, but we also have to believe in something more. For April."

Alex nodded. He wasn't normally a man of faith, but when Arizona needed him to believe, he could generally muster some kind of outlet for it. Maybe not a faith in God, but faith in the medicine. Faith in the world, faith that April would be ok because even he knew that she didn't deserve all of this. No matter how annoying she could be.

"If there's any time for her to wake up, it's Christmas. Right?" Arizona sighed, secretly wiping a eager tears from her face.

"Right." He agreed, rubbing her back softly. This whole thing wasn't easy on anyone. The entire hospital was more morose than usual.

Jackson was the biggest mess of all. They weren't sure he had been eating or sleeping and they barely remembered him leaving the room to shower. His mom and April's parents were there most of the day but when they left, he didn't. He always stayed.

After a moment, Alex spoke up. "We should go. Let them rest." He told Arizona, ushering her away from the room. It actually started to feel a bit intrusive after a while. Witnessing the way Jackson never let go of her hand while they slept seemed like something maybe they weren't supposed to actually witness. It was public but so incredibly private that he nearly felt guilty.

It was a few hours later when Jackson woke up. April wasn't awake. Jackson hadn't seen Graycin yet either. He hadn't wanted to leave April. But he knew maybe now was the time. His son was three days old and had only been visited by grandparents.

He kissed April's hand and softly laid it back down on the bed beside her. He had to stand up carefully because at this point everything hurt. His mind, his spirit and now his body. Being on the other side of this situation, as a physician, was never easy. But until now he'd never realized exactly how emotionally draining being in a situation like this could be. He'd never had a reason to. If they made it through this he knew it was going to change the way he practiced medicine.

The nurse inside the nursery knew why he was there. She'd been waiting for him for days. Losing more hope each day that he would actually come. "You can come in, Dr. Avery."

Jackson nodded, slowly walking into the nursery. He used the hand sanitizer that was at the station by the door before he touched anything.

He didn't have to look around the sea of newborns to find his. He could just see him.

"He's been a perfect little baby." The nurse assured him while she stuck her finger in the isolette to see if Graycin would wrap his fingers around it. He was so close to being able to but he was still a tiny, weak human and it was too early.

Jackson was silent. He was entranced by his little boy. His perfect little boy. He had light brown curls and blue green eyes. The dimples were clearly from April.

"This is Graycin?" He asked, not looking away from the little one. His voice was rough and he figured it was because he hadn't had anything to say in days.

The baby was so small, smaller than most of the babies he had seen before during his tenure as a doctor and as a surgeon. But he was born months early and he had OI. He had virtually no chance.

She stopped. "That's what you said Dr. Kepner wanted, right? Graycin Noah Avery?"

He nodded. "That's what she wanted."

The nurse smiled as she walked away, giving Jackson some privacy, "Then it's a done deal."

He stuck his finger into the isolette where the nurse had previously had hers.

His voice was thick and tired. "Hi little guy." Jackson smiled, entranced by the mixture of his and April's features he saw on his face.

"I'm your Daddy."

Graycin nearly smiled, Jackson could have sworn he saw it and so he spoke to him slowly. Once he saw him he didn't know how he went three days without. "I'm sorry I took so long to come see you. I hope you can forgive me. Your mother is really sick too. But we'll be ok, I promise you. I'm going to make sure you're both ok."

From the corner desk the nurse slumped. She had to leave because she did her research. The whole thing was just too sad for her. It was a lost cause.

**I'm sorry. This one wasn't necessarily…happy either. But they get better after this. You know why they had to start out angsty. Because Japril is usually angsty. But stay with me until tomorrow and I promise you'll be happier!**


	3. Christmas Is

**Christmas Is – Francesca Battistelli**

**Year 2. **

It's amazing how much things can change in just one year. This time last year, Jackson was camping out in a hospital room, praying that his wife and son would survive a trial surgery. Now he was coming home from work to a happy and healthy family.

They had finally moved out of their high-rise apartment and into a family home North of Seattle. It was perfect for them and had everything April wanted. He knew she would never admit it, but she loved the large kitchen for cooking and baking, and the high ceilings for a large Christmas tree. She loved the large tub that she and he took advantage of a couple of times a week and the roominess of it all. She asked for none of it but he got her all of it. After that moment when he first saw his son last Christmas Eve, he vowed to give them anything they could ever imagine wanting and needing. Because they're his world.

"Babe, don't overdo it. You need to be careful." He warned, pulling Graycin from her and ushering her toward the couch and away from the tree.

"I'm pregnant, not ill." She huffed, sitting down and folding her arms angrily across her chest.

He rolled his eyes. "I know this. But you know I can't help but worry. Just take it easy."

If she wasn't lying to herself, being taken care of all of the time wasn't the worst thing ever. But sometimes she just needed a little bit of room to swim.

When he turned around to fix the tree, she hopped up to pull her lasagna out of the oven. Her parents were set to arrive in the next half hour, insisting to take a cab over so they wouldn't have to take the baby out into the cold.

She started cutting up vegetables to add to the salad while Jackson sat in the living room with Graycin. Just because she was pregnant again didn't mean she couldn't do anything. This was a completely normal pregnancy this time around and they didn't anticipate any problems this time around.

Since she had been home with Graycin for most of the day, they spent an easy day at home. She had a Christmas album playing across the house and baked chocolate chip cookies to have for her parents when they arrived. She even made her mothers' lasagna recipe. It was going to be perfect. Such a change from last year when she was in the hospital. Not to mention the months spent in the hospital with Graycin they spent just praying they could take him home. Or from weeks after that when all she was capable of doing was sobbing.

"April, come here!" Jackson yelled from the family room. April dropped the knife she was using to butcher the veggies and ran as fast as she could toward her husband.

"What? What? Is everything ok?!" She panicked, still between the kitchen and the living room.

"Graycin crawled! He crawled!" Jackson panicked, pulling his phone out to catch the next time on his phone.

The only problem was that Graycin was sitting in the same place that she left him in when she went to the kitchen to pull out the lasagna. "Babe, I don't think he crawled. I think maybe you wanted him to crawl."

Jackson rolled his eyes. "He did. Here. Wait. I'm sure he'll do it again."

They waited. Jackson begged, "Come on buddy. Show mommy that you can crawl."

April waited. And waited. And waited. Jackson waited with his phone. Nothing.

So minutes later Jackson put his phone away and April mocked Jackson a little. "That's what I thought." She laughed. Graycin was definitely old enough to start crawling but with his type of OI it was still a miracle that he was around at all. Crawling wasn't even on her radar yet. It might not ever be.

"April!" He hollered across the house. She came back running quicker than she did before. Graycin was still sitting but he was facing a different direction. Jackson was holding his phone but it was obvious from his frustration that he missed recording it again.

"Looks like he has your poor timing." She mocked. Jackson audibly groaned. She never failed to mock him for that.

"So does my little princess," He grinned, nodding toward April's all but flat stomach.

April winced. "I know it's soon Jackson." She whispered, looking down at her belly. It felt like they only left the hospital with Graycin a couple of months ago. But then a couple weeks ago she didn't get her period and the test had two lines and then eventually the blood test was positive. And now they're having a second baby.

"April, sweetheart. I was just joking. I don't think it could be possible for me to be any more excited about her than I already am."

She stopped. "Why do you keep calling it a her?" Their first ultrasound was yesterday, there was no way he knew the sex.

"Because she's a girl. I can feel it." He assured her, sitting down next to her on the couch and slipping his hand under her sweater. April blushed. She couldn't have picked a better husband.

'Or you just want a girl." She laughed, hoping it was a girl for him.

"Is that so bad?" He asked her quietly, smiling. "I just want a little girl to spoil."

Graycin didn't crawl for April for 17 more days. They faced minor hiccups with Gracyin's health every day but he was virtually healthy and always smiling. They had the perfect life and it was the one they wanted all along.

**A little happier for you? lol**


	4. Please Come Home For Christmas

**Thank you for all of your lovely reviews! I can't respond to many of them because they're anon so I just wanted to put this message here. You're all wonderful and I appreciate you taking the time to read my stories!**

**Please Come Home for Christmas – Grace Potter & The Nocturnals**

**Year 5. **

"Erin, don't mouth off please." April reminded her daughter who always had good intentions but sometimes needed a reminder to behave.

"But mama, tell Graycin that I'm made of pudding and he's not!" She begged her mother completely seriously. Graycin wasn't having it and April had no idea what this argument was about. She had that 'unbelievable' face on. "But you're not made of pudding. You're made of sugar and spice and everything nice."

Erin shook her head, unconvinced. "Actually mom, I'm made of blood and bones. You're the doctor." She adamantly explained to her mother. April stared at her, shocked. She didn't even know how to respond to that. But then again, her daughters' mouth was nothing new. Their Halloween a few months earlier went the same way.

"_What a scary little lion you are!" Mrs. Walker down the street feigned at a little Erin, the soon-to-be middle Avery child. But she was only a ripe four years old so she didn't do anything other than stare at the older woman shyly._

"_Take two pieces, you're too cute for just one." She offered Erin, holding the treat bowl down at her level so she could choose her favorites._

_Erin dug through the bowl carefully, looking for some of her favorites. But she didn't find any. "No thank you."_

_The look on April's face was priceless. It was a mixture of laughter, shock and embarrassment. Luckily for them Mrs. Walker laughed herself and moved onto Graycin._

"_And you! You look like such a handsome pirate. You can have two pieces too." She cooed, bending down and holding her giant bowl of candy out for the little boy. She babysat every now and then and so the kids knew her well. Graycin grabbed the first two pieces he could see. _

_April spoke up. "What do we say to Mrs. Walker?" _

_Graycin smiled his best smile for the woman, already daunting the classic Avery smile. "Thank you!"_

_Erin wasn't as friendly. Instead of saying thank you, she roared at Mrs. Walker the same way she undoubtedly imagined a real lion would. "Roaaaaaaar!"_

_Jackson grinned. His daughter was weird. Just like his wife. April's cheeks flushed rosy red with embarrassment again. "Erin Olivia Avery! We've talked about this. No more roaring at people, no more growling and no more barking. Do you understand me?" _

_This wasn't the first time it had happened. The first time was during a Sunday morning service a few weeks ago. Randomly. _

_Instead of nodding though, she walked a few steps back toward Jackson and held her arms up. He scooped her up and Erin instantly grabbed ahold of his sweater and nestled her head into his chest and then started crying. April shook her head at Jackson for allowing it. "Really Jackson?"_

_He shrugged. "She's four. If she wants to roar or bark or meow even, just let her. She'll grow out of it." He smiled at his wife, rubbing Erin's back. April was nearly 9 months pregnant and he knew she was just tired. _

"_Sometimes we all just want to roar," Mrs. Walker laughed, waving goodbye at the family._

"_Thanks again." April waved back, grabbing Graycin's hand. _

"_You're welcome. You guys have a good night." She smiled, turning around and closing her door. _

"_What do you say we call it a night?" Jackson asked April. He was tired from working all day and going strong with Halloween activities during the evening. The fact that it was almost 9 pm wasn't helping any either. _

"_I think that's a good idea. What do you think sweetheart?" April leaned down to ask Graycin. Erin was already nearly asleep in Jackson's arms. _

_Instead of being the gracious and happy little boy he had been all night, he started panicking. The tears were real and they knew he was just exhausted too. Not only had they been doing Halloween activities all day but daycare had too. The poor little boy was just beat. _

"_Shh." April shushed him, but it was all nourishing. She scooped him up into her arms and held him closely. He was getting so big that it was probably ify as to whether she should be carrying him anymore while pregnant but he was upset. He started crying and screaming but within a minute or two his movements stilled and cries diminished. He dropped his face against her chest and she felt his movements even out. He was already asleep in her arms. _

_Jackson had to smile at his adorable wife, wearing a shirt that emphasized her popping belly as a pumpkin with black leggings and holding a passed out pirate on her hip. He toted a sleeping lion against his chest as they walked the few blocks back to their home in silence._

April finally snapped out of her flashback. "You're right. We're all made of blood and bones but sometimes we feel like we're made of a little pudding." She threw in for Erin. Both of her older kids seemed pacified with that answer.

"How many more days til Daddy comes home?" Graycin whined, feeling outnumbered by the girls since the new one Colin was only a couple months old.

April wanted to tell them that he was going to be home any minute but she didn't want to ruin the surprise. "Oh I'm not sure baby. I think he's still going to be gone for a while. He's got a lot of work to do still in Boston with Grandma Catherine."

Graycin lost it. He didn't realize Jackson had only been in Boston for three days. But it was the longest they had been away from each other since the day he was born. April felt terrible since she was just trying to surprise him. "We could call Daddy?"

He held his phone up, itching for her cell phone as she found his name and dialed. She put the phone on speaker so they could all hear him.

"Hey gorgeous," He answered happily, picking up on the second ring. She could hear the smile on his face and it gave her butterflies in the pit of her stomach.

"Hi Daddy!" Graycin welcomed into the phone. He was so excited. "Hey Buddy. What's going on?"

Graycin took the phone and headed into the living room. "Nothing. Too many girls here." He sighed. "It's becoming a problem."

Jackson had to take a minute to contain himself. He knew that phrase was from April and the way his son used it was hilarious, he just didn't want to encourage it. "Why's it becoming a problem? We're lucky to have such beautiful girls in our life. You need to take care of them for me whenever I'm away. Can you do that?"

Graycin nodded and agreed in a serious and matter-of-fact kind of way. He was ready for that responsibility, even if he didn't always like being around them. At least Erin.

"What'd you do today?" Jackson asked him, probing for conversation. The little guy was quiet while he thought about it.

"Mommy made us go shopping and buy lots of things and wrap your presents but I can't tell you what they are because I pinky promised and then we went to see Aunt Amy and Uncle Owen and they gave me ice cream."

Jackson soaked in the whole story. "Wow. That seems like a pretty amazing day. And Santa comes to visit tonight too, right?"

"Yeah but Mom said…she said that if she keep fighting then he might not come at all."

He had to laugh at that. April was the bad cop. He didn't know how it ended up that way, but it did. "I think she might be right. But you can be nice to your sister for a few more hours. Right?"

Graycin didn't like the thought of that and gave the phone back to his mom, then he went back to his toys. "Hey you."

April switched the phone off speaker. "Hey yourself. Be here soon?"

"Five minutes." He laughed at the timing they had and said a quick goodbye since he would be home any minute anyway.


	5. Who Needs Mistletoe?

**Who Needs Mistletoe – Julie Roberts**

**Year 6**

He just didn't understand why she wasn't there yet. They were supposed to meet for the show at 10:00 pm. He knew her shift got over at 9, so where was she?

He pulled out his cell phone to text his wife.

**Jackson: Where are you? Are you alright? Stuck at the hospital?**

He got an almost immediate text back.

**April: "Not far from you. See you soon."**

He took a second glance at his phone. It was a weird way to answer his question, but at least she was ok. Her quirks weren't new to him. The hostess found him while he was waiting. "Mr. Avery? Your table is ready."

She guided him toward their table, near the stage. April had wanted him to meet her there for the show and made the reservation. He liked coming to these things. They discovered a poetry slam that they liked to go to on Sunday nights when they had the time and an available sitter. It was a date night for them. He wasn't even sure what this was. It wasn't poetry slam night but it was at the same jazz club they frequented on date night.

The host walked on the stage, the lights dimmed and it began. "Good evening ladies and gentleman! Thank you for coming to part two of our open mic night! I'm your host, Evan Williams. While we do have a set list for the first part of the show, you've now reached open mic. Completely open. And all of these performers are first time performers who have volunteered, so please be kind to them!"

Jackson swallowed. He didn't know they had paid to watch people karaoke. It was outside his comfort zone.

The first performer was great and sang Whitney Houston's song _I Have Nothing_…he wished April had made it on time to see it. She was amazing. It was a shame because at this hour on a Tuesday night the club was mostly empty but he had never seen anything like it at an open event mic like this. There were two more performers after her and he still saw no signs of April.

The host came back on the stage to introduce the last singer. "Our last performer is Dr. April Kepner. Since we're only a few days away from Christmas, she'll be singing _Who Needs Mistletoe_, which she wrote. Please give her a hand. And thanks for coming everyone! We'll see you next week. Same time, same please."

Jackson sat up straighter, put his drink down on the table and panicked. He had no idea. She had never sang anywhere before even though he tried to get her to a million times before. He had no idea until after they were even married but she had a voice. An amazing voice. It was smoky and raw but in a good way, just sexy. And she knew how to carry a tune. He could never get enough of it. Whenever he heard her singing, it killed him. She sang while she cooked and while she rocked his children to sleep and other times in between. He knew the song she was about to sing because he'd heard her singing it around the house. What he didn't know was that she wrote it.

_Baby, you can be my Santa Claus_

_And I'll come sit on your lap_

_Whisper what I really want_

_What do you think about that?_

Even her outfit turned him on at the moment. She was wearing a tight and high waisted black skirt with a red sweater tucked in and black tights. Her high heels were doing something for him too. Her hair was curled and pulled into a low bun. She had dark, smoky make up on and he could honestly say he couldn't remember a time when she looked hotter.

_Cause I want to be naughty_

_Hey now don't that sound nice_

_This is the season for giving_

_Are you in a giving mood tonight?_

_Don't want egg nog_

_Don't want snow_

_Lights on a house or a tree that glows_

_Who needs mistletoe?_

_I'd rather be under you_

When she sang she looked at him but she also performed. Not only was the way she sang hot, but the way she held the microphone got him going too. She was so good and her self-confidence had never been higher. If someone would have asked him ten years ago if he ever thought April Kepner would be performing a self-written song for him at a bar he would have laughed in their face.

A few moments later the song ended.

_I'd rather be with you_.

The ten people that were in the bar clapped and hollered and cheered like Jackson had never heard such a small crowd do before. There were even two guys in the back whistling, which was maybe the one part he wasn't that thrilled about. But he was still gloriously happy for her.

She didn't say anything. She just sat next to him and took a sip of his beer. "What did you think?" She asked shyly. All of her confidence nearly gone.

He shook his head. "You… were... amazing."

April tilted her head to the side just a tad. "Are you just saying that?"

He shook his head again. "Babe, you got a standing ovation. Whistles. You wrote that song? I didn't know that?"

She nodded. "For you."

Shocked still, he asked "What made you decide to do it finally though? All of that confidence… I mean… Babe, that was hot as hell."

April scooted over to his chair and nestled in his lap. The bar was mostly empty now anyway. She kissed his a path up his neck to his ear, rubbing her other hand on the rough side of his face to feel his scruff. "Take me home."

He groaned, knowing perfectly well what was on her mind because it was on his too. "I might not take you home yet, but you're leaving with me."

**Thank you for reading another one of my stories! I've had such a good time writing them that I find myself just waiting for the next day so I can post again. I've always thought there were more layers to April's personality that we haven't got to see yet and I thought this would be a good fit.**

***April did NOT right the song Under The Mistletoe by Julie Roberts and neither did I. It was just a detail added for the story. **


	6. 364 Days To Go

**364 Days to Go – Brad Paisley**

**Year 7. Rated M.**

"If you don't get to bed, Santa's going to skip our house!" April laughed, chasing their youngest baby Colin around the house. He took his pants off yet again and was running again giggling and chasing the family dog Dolly.

Jackson and Erin were cracking up at the scene in front of them because it looked like something straight out of a movie. Graycin was busy setting the cookies and carrots and milk out for Santa before they went to bed.

Jackson pulled his lone daughter onto his lap from the couch. "Mama and Colin are crazy. I'm not sure who's chasing who." He teased, lightly tickling her chubby little belly.

She giggled and smiled at him but she always did that. She was a daddy's girl for sure. Anything he said had her wrapped around his finger and vice versa.

While watching his wife chase their little boy around the house he took a look around. There were dirty dishes from dinner and baked goods lining the counters. Wrapping paper shreds and empty tubes used for beating each other were randomly left around the living room. Empty glasses from the chocolate milk the kids got on Christmas Eve were still on the table.

The tree they had cut down themselves was in the corner wrapped with colorful red and green lights. April had decorated most of it with homemade ornaments from the kids and even a few from her own childhood. There were already more presents than he had seen in his lifetime under the tree and their stockings were waiting for Santa on the mantle.

"You ready for bed pumpkin?" Jackson asked his daughter who was drifting off in his lap. She nodded that she was, which was a rarity for her. He scooped her up and took her upstairs to her bed. He didn't need to get her pajamas on because they were all wearing their new pajamas they got every Christmas Eve when they got home from church.

He pulled her Frozen comforter up over her and leaned down to give her the goodnight kiss he gave her every time he tucked her in. "Goodnight sweetheart." But she was already out like a light.

When he came back downstairs he found Colin sitting on the couch and April and Graycin arguing about the cookies for Santa. "Santa doesn't need that many cookies!" April argued, trying to convince the little boy to just set a few out. Jackson chuckled because he was Santa and he knew April had him on a cookie diet. She had called him her Cookie Monster on more than one occasion and he hated it.

Graycin argued back just as adamantly as his mother did. "Yes he does! He's going to be hungry after bringing so giving so many presents!"

April gave up. "Okay. But wrap it up. It's bedtime."

Graycin nodded. He wanted to go to sleep so Santa could come bring him the bike he asked for.

"Dad's going to tuck you in tonight so I can put Colin down. I love you sweetie." April told him, leaning down to kiss her baby goodnight. She loved all of her children the same amount, she really did, but he would always be her miracle baby whether she wanted to admit it or not. He marched up the stairs and Jackson followed. He loved tucking his kids in for the night when he was home.

A couple of minutes later while he was sitting on the edge of Graycin's bed reading him a story about Santa he saw April pass by Graycin's room with Colin toward the nursery. He was already passed out in her arms. He was usually the easy one. April must have tucked him into his bed because moments later she was joining them in Graycin's room.

"Goodnight baby. I'll see you in the morning once Santa's been here." She smiled. Leaning over Jackson to kiss her son goodnight. She pulled his covers up and gave him the comfortable touch that a mother gives her child. Jackson had no idea how she did it because Graycin almost instantly closed his eyes and was out like a light.

They got downstairs and looked around at the mess. The house was a disaster. "We have to clean this up because your mother and Richard are coming over in the morning for presents."

Jackson nodded. "I'll help."

"I have to get a cake in the oven for church in the morning too." She sighed, pushing dishes to clear a space to make a cake. She figured it could bake while she cleaned the kitchen. There was no way she'd have time to do it in the morning. There just wasn't enough time in the day.

She put the red apron on that she liked to cook in the save her clothes from batter and flour and all the normal kitchen spills.

"Do you want to save these wrapping paper tubes?" Jackson asked her, peaking his head into the kitchen. Instead of waiting for her answer, he gently tapped her behind with the tube.

She gasped. "You did not just hit me with that." She laughed, dropping the whisk she was using and placing her hands on her hips.

He folded his arms in an insanely cocky and all too cute way. "Oh, I think I did."

Without really thinking of the repercussions, she pulled the battered whisk out of her mixing bowl, held it upside down and flicked it at her husband. His face was covered with red velvet batter.

Not only was his face covered in batter, but his mouth was hanging open and he was speechless. She had never pulled anything like that on him. Ever.

He lunged at her, or more like at the whisk so he could get payback. But she flicked him again with the batter. When he finally get it free he flicked her back and she couldn't believe it. "Jackson!"

"You started it!" He laughed, dropping the whisk back into the bowl and surrendering everything.

She shook her head. He started it. She finished it. She went back to mixing, shaking her head in disbelief while trying not to laugh.

A few feet from her, he was trying not to stare. Her hair was wrapped up in a messy bun on the top of her head. She was wearing old sweatpants that were tight in just the right places. Her shirt was short, so it showed more of her midriff than she usually showed, at least while she was stirring he was enjoying the way it was riding up on her. The small apron didn't help either.

He moved in and spun her around, blocking her in between the counter and his body. "The kids are sound asleep you know." He whispered in her ear.

April shook her head in disbelief. "You can't be serious. The house is a mess, I'm a mess. They're going to wake us up before seven am."

He shrugged. "So we make them sleep for another hour to account for this one I'm about to spend with you."

She rolled her eyes and surrendered. They wouldn't be that long. And she missed him.

He pulled her close and rolled them onto the kitchen floor, behind the island.

She pushed her sweat pants down her legs, leaving just her panties on below the waist. He pulled his cake batter stained Seahawks t-shirt over his head and his sweats and boxers down too. He stopped why he noticed how cold she was. "Are you cold?"

She nodded, hoping he would warm her up. He surprised her when he jumped up and grabbed a throw from the living room to cover them up. It was a weirdly romantic gesture from him.

"Better now?" He asked, settling on top of her again and under the blanket himself.

"Much." She told him, moving her hand down his abdomen to get to the part she needed most. Their kissing was soft and gentle. He was taking the time to really enjoy her and she loved it.

She loved the feeling for his warm hands sliding up the front of her shirt to her breasts. The way he kissed his way back down her neck in order to just stay there and suck on that one spot made her weak.

The giggle that escaped her lips when one of his hands slid down the front of her pants to brush her core made him smile himself. She was so perfect.

He pulled her panties to the side and slowly entered her. When he was sure she was ready, he started moving at a quicker pace.

He felt her wrap her legs around his waist and her arms around his neck, trying to hold on to him as tightly as she could while he rocked back and forth inside of her. He used his hands to push her t-shirt up far enough for him to find her breasts and kiss them. Her nipples were already hard and he paid special attention to each, listening to the way it made her moan and lose pace of her breathing.

She rolled them over, straddling him tightly. "I love you so much." He sighed, relaxing a little on the kitchen floor.

She stopped and moved her hands up to touch the sides of his face. He was being extremely genuine. "Oh Jackson, I love you too."


	7. I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus

**I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus – Jackson 5**

**Year 8**

"Jackson, I took the time to buy it for you, the least you could do is wear it." April complained, motioning toward the cheesy Santa suit hanging in their closet.

He shook his head. "Absolutely not. I am not dressing up like Santa. There is no way."

She rolled her eyes. He was being melodramatic.

"Why not?"

He sighed. "Because I don't want to. There is no reason that I need to dress up to put the presents under the tree tonight. They're not going to see me anyway."

She bellowed at that. "How do you know? They're still so young and they're getting curious. What if they see you and Christmas is ruined? Graycin is barely even 8 years old."

Jackson knew it was a fight he wasn't going to win but that didn't mean he wanted to go down easily. He may be whipped but he at least usually got something out of it first.

"What do I get out of it?" He asked, arching an eyebrow at his own question.

She laughed but then turned very serious. "A very happy and gracious Mrs. Claus."

When she winked and leaned up on her toes to pull him down for a slow kiss he knew he lost. He played a long for a little longer though, letting her kiss him and whisper a few naughtier things in his ear.

"You win."

She grinned. "I know."

Jackson struggled with the beard of his costume, making sure it was on straight. Since he decided to do this, he decided to do it right.

He spun around to see April watching him intently. "How do I look?"

She was surprisingly turned on by him in the Santa suit. "Like the handsomest and sexiest Santa I've ever seen…. The beard is oddly attractive." She smirked, running her hands through it and using it to pull him down closer to her so she could kiss him.

"The beard is what does it for you? Really?" Jackson laughed, shaking his head incredulously.

She shrugged. "And the belly. I like that you're the one with the huge belly this time."

That got a laugh out of Jackson. He supposed maybe it actually was his turn for that.

"You're weird." He laughed, poking her.

She poked him back. "So people keep telling me."

"So what do you want me to do?" He asked her, motioning toward all the presents they finally got wrapped that were scattered across their king sized bed. This was her plan.

"Just take them into the living room, organize them under the tree. Make it look pretty as usual." He rolled his eyes at that. He'd organize them but he wasn't one to make them look 'pretty'.

"Oh," She stopped, "And don't forget to eat the cookies, drink the milk and take most of the carrots."

He nodded. He thought he had it all down. The same as every year except this time he had to be dressed up, just in case his kids were on the lookout.

He grabbed the first batch, and quietly walked down the staircase. Luckily for him, the living room was illuminated by all the lights, but just dark enough so if they did see him they probably wouldn't notice he was Santa.

After he finished stuffing the presents under the tree and grabbed the stockings hanging on the mantle for April to stuff he met her at the staircase. His back was facing the living room and she was a couple of steps higher than him.

"Santa looks good on you," She teased, pulling him in for another kiss. She couldn't resist. He shrugged. It didn't really surprise him that this was turning her on. She was always hot and bothered when he didn't shave for a few days too.

Their impromptu make-out session lasted a few minutes longer than it should have because Graycin stuck his head out of his room on the other side of the living room. He couldn't see much, only his mom kissing _Santa_!

He snuck away and into his sisters room. "Erin, wake up!"

She groaned and rolled over. She had always been a heavy sleeper. Even on Christmas morning they had to give her time to wake up first. School days were nightmarish for her and her parents.

"Go away!" She sighed, putting her head under her pillow.

"Santa's here and mom is kissing him! Where's Daddy?!" He panicked and Erin jumped out of bed. They ran toward the hallway so they could stick their heads' out and take another look.

"I'm going to tell Daddy!" Erin panicked, pulling her older brother back into her room. "He's going to be so mad!"

Graycin mulishly shook his head. "We can't tell anyone or Santa won't come back! This has to be our secret."

They took one more look in the living room, only this time their Mother was gone and Santa was eating the last cookie on the plate they'd left him. They couldn't tell anyone what happened.

"This has to be our secret Erin!" Graycin sighed, still not sure how best to handle the situation.

She groaned. "I'm not going to tell anyone, okay?!"

He rolled his eyes. "You aaaalways tell!"

Her face pinched together and she got the look she normally got when she was about to scream. "Do not!"

He laughed. "Member when you told on me for playing in Dad's office?!" He threw in her face and she got quiet.

When she rolled back over in bed he knew she was done talking and he snuck back into his own room. He felt like he laid in bed for hours before he could actually fall asleep. He saw that Santa brought him the bike he'd been asking for.


	8. Cold December Night

**Cold December Night – Michael Buble**

**Year 10**

Jackson and April sat in the living room, talking about Christmas and church and their favorite Christmas memories. Jackson's mind went back to a few weeks ago, one of his favorite nights in a long time. It was just as cold as tonight had been, a bitter, bone-chilling cold. But the memory was warm…

"_Sweetheart, you look beautiful. Are you sure you don't want me to braid your hair up?" April asked her only daughter, while she helped her smooth down the front of her dress. The skirt was a bright purple tulle with black polka dots and the top was black velvet, short sleeves. There was a tulle, black flower on the side of the waistline. She looked adorable. She even had bought Jackson a matching purple tie for his gray suit._

"_I'm sure. Can I leave my hair curly like yours mom?" Erin asked gently, smiling up at her Mother. _

_April nodded. "Anything you want sweetie." Erin sat perfectly still while April added all the finishing touches to her long, curly light brown hair. It was beautiful._

"_Find your shoes, Daddy will be home soon." She instructed an anxious Erin._

_Erin nodded and scurried off to find her black strappy shoes. They had a tiny wedge to them and were all-in-all pretty simple. _

_Instead of entering through the front door, Jackson rang the doorbell. He changed at work and was picking Erin up like it was an actual date. He wanted to treat her like a princess, because she was his. _

"_Hi, I'm here to pick up Erin Avery." He teased when she answered the door, April standing behind her, tearing up. _

_Erin grinned. "It's me, Daddy!" She laughed with wide eyes. He chuckled._

"_Erin?!" _

_She nodded. "You look so grown up, I didn't recognize you!" He teased, coming in and shutting the door. It was freezing outside for early December. _

"_I got you something." He surprised her, pulling a violet corsage out of a brown paper bag. _

"_A flower?" She asked him. She'd never gotten one before. He nodded._

"_It's a corsage. It's a present to wear to the dance, see, it goes with your dress. Right?" He asked her instructionally, slipping it carefully onto her wrist and fastening it. _

_He heard his wife sniffling in the corner. "Picture time! I want a picture!"_

_This part wasn't Jackson's favorite, but he knew they needed a picture. He pulled his daughter in front of him and wrapped his arms around her tightly. She was his little girl. _

Something suddenly April brought him straight back into reality.

"Can you believe we've been married for more than ten years now?" She gasped, he noticed she must have been responding to something one of the kids said.

He shrugged. "Time flies." To him it seemed like it was only yesterday that April struggled to tell him that she was pregnant and they were about to be parents. Now they had three beautiful kids, their own home and completely different lives from that dark time they faced together in their new marriage. Or even the darker times they faced throughout the marriage so far.

_Jackson got home from work as soon as he could. With Colin being just over two weeks old, he had to return to work and had been ever since. He wasn't performing as many surgeries as usual but his patients didn't stop and the board still needed him. He knew April was overwhelmed though._

_The house was a mess. Nothing was in its place and something smelled like it was burning. He looked over to see Graycin and Erin arguing over the tv, flipping madly back and forth between Spongebob and iCarly. There was a completely burned and ashy cake on the counter and a pot of water boiling over on the stove. _

_There was no sign of April but he could hear Colin crying from the bedroom. "Hey Dad." Both of the old kids welcomed him, barely turning around from the television to say hi. _

"_Hey. Turn that tv off. You both lost your privileges for the night. Where's your mother?"_

_The tv went off immediately and they stopped arguing. Graycin pointed toward his parent's room, "She's with Colin." _

_Jackson nodded while he hung his keys up on the hook by the door, along with his jacket. He set his briefcase on the floor against the wall and walked over to the stove to turn off the burner. Both Graycin and Erin went back to arguing about something else, a stage they had been in for too long. They loved to pick at each other. _

_The walk upstairs to their bedroom was long for him. "April?" _

_He didn't get a response. Instead he saw Colin in his bassinette, crying. April was sitting on the floor across the room and doing the same thing. Jackson picked Colin up and held him warmly across his chest. The baby kept crying. _

"_I can't get him to stop crying Jackson. I've tried everything. He's not hungry, he doesn't need to be changed, and he's been burped. He hates me." She cried hysterically, pulling her knees up to her chest and hiding her face from her concerned husband. _

_Jackson honestly had no idea what to do. He'd never seen his wife panic like this. "Hey, hey… it's okay. I'm home. You're doing a great job. An amazing job April." He tried soothing her over the sounds of Colin's cries. _

_She shook him off. "I'm not though! Nothing is going right. I can't even cook dinner anymore!" _

_She'd been having a rough time since having Colin, he knew she had a slight case of Postpartum Depression. But he'd never seen her like this before, it broke his heart._

"_April! You're an amazing mother. You're an amazing wife. There is no one else that I would rather be married to and have a family with. It's ok to feel overwhelmed," He promised her, sitting next to her on the floor. She leaned into him and he wrapped his free arm around her as tightly as he could. Eventually Colin's cries stopped and so did hers._

_Jackson stood up and gently placed a sleeping Colin in his bassinette and went back to scoop April up. Once she was in his arms he laid her in bed and pulled the covers up. _

_Instead of finishing whatever she had been trying to cook, he ordered pizza. Then he called Arizona to see if she was up for a girl's night with April, his treat. Tomorrow he was going to see what options they had for April. He knew they could get through this. _

"Actually," He grinned at her, "I think you should open your present from me early. I don't want it to get lost in the shuffle tomorrow."

She looked at him, surprised. "We never do presents early."

Colin spoke up, "Yeah, Dad. We only get pajamas early."

Erin laughed at her dad, "Did you get Mom more pajamas?"

Jackson chuckled. He did, but none that the kids would see.

"No, let me go get your gift." He ran up the stairs to his office and came back with a small box. April had gotten enough of them over the years to know exactly what it was.

"Jackson…"

He played her game. "April…" He tormented her in the same tone she was giving him. "Just open it." All three of their kids giggled at their parents teasing.

She knew she wouldn't win, so instead of complaining she slowly opened the paper, trying to be as graceful as possible. Jackson spoke as she opened the box. "I just want you to thank you, again, for everything that you do for our family. I have no idea how you do everything for us that you do. I love you so much."

It was a diamond necklace with three different colored gems in the center of the pendant. She knew each color was for their kids.

"Let me see!" Erin cooed, peeking over her Mom's shoulder at the necklace. "It's just more jewelry." Graycin sighed. It all seemed dreadfully boring to him. His Dad was always getting his mom some kind of jewelry or girly thing he didn't care anything about. He didn't know why he couldn't ever get her something useful. Like a vacuum cleaner or a PlayStation.

"You'll understand some day, Bud." Jackson laughed, patting his eldest son's shoulder and leaning over to collect a kiss from his wife.

"Thank you, Jackson. It's…perfect." She beamed, loving it way more than she ever thought she would. "Help me put it on?"

He took it from her and she pulled her red, wavy curls off her neck so he could have access to it. While he was fastening it around her neck, she briefly thought about the last ten years of their marriage too. They had had good times and bad, but far more good. They'd gotten through everything. He clasped it shut and she pulled him down onto the couch for another kiss. The kiss went on for too long because they forgot they had an audience.

"Get a room." Graycin sighed, sick of seeing his old parents make out. "Yeah, get a room." Colin agreed, neither one of them knowing what that even meant.

Dress:

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	9. Meet Me Under The Mistletoe

**Meet Me Under the Mistletoe – Randy Travis**

**Year 13. **

Her beeper went off. This was never a good sign. They knew not to page her unless it was absolutely needed so she dialed in to the hospital.

"This is Dr. Kepner. You paged?"

The voice on the other end of the line was her resident, Chris. "Whoa, slow down."

Catherine, Jackson and the kids listened to the conversation. They knew the drill. She had to go in to work.

"Well did you run a CT?" She asked, listening to his answer while she was simultaneously looking for her purse. "Run a full panel blood test then. I'd like an x-ray done by the time I get there too. See you soon." There was a pause. "Oh, and Morrison?" She asked, waiting for her resident on the other line. "If he isn't actually dying when I get there, you're going to be on SCUT for a week."

She sighed when she hung up. Morrison always seemed like a reliable intern and resident but calling her at home on Christmas Eve was a deal breaker. "Burn victim."

Jackson panicked. It was his burn center and the resident in charge tonight was less than capable. It was just his last choice. "I'm coming too."

"Babe, no. I'll call you if you need to come in. Stay here. The kids are here, your mother is here." She motioned over to Catherine who was in the middle of a story about one of her Christmas's as a kid.

"_My father worked three jobs and we didn't have anything nearly as nice as what you kids have. He had to work that hard just to feed us_ _and keep a roof over our heads"_.

They heard her telling them one of her stories. All three of their kids were listening carefully to the story. They treasured her stories. Jackson didn't know half of them because he never thought to ask. But his kids did and he enjoyed listening to them too.

"_How many brothers and sisters do you have Grandma?" Colin asked, insisting on sitting next to Catherine so she pulled him onto her lap._

"_Well, at the time I had four brothers and two sisters. But a few of them got sick and stuff, now I have three brothers and one sister." _

Jackson interrupted. "Mom, April and I have to run to the hospital. Will you be alright?"

She waved her hand up in the air at him. "Go Honey, We're fine here."

He nodded and handed April her jacket that he got when he grabbed his own. They made it to the hospital in less than twenty minutes, both searching for the same patient.

"Dr. Kepner!" Her resident called out, "He's in bed 6." He waved them down toward the patient.

"I ran the x-ray and there were no compressions or fractures, no known blockages, he's struggling to breathe still though. He's crashed twice." He started listing everything she needed to know. Jackson waited from the sidelines and then began his round of questioning aimed at the resident.

"Have you treated the burns?" When the resident shook his head Jackson barked at him, "What good are you then? Go! Get out of here."

April stopped what she was doing and stared over at him. That was not her style of teaching. "Really Jackson?"

He nodded, unamused. "He should know better. He's a 4th year." And then he began treating the patient himself just like he wanted to do all along.

Within the next couple of hours they treated a few more patients that the residents needed assistance with in the ER but they hadn't seen each other. They'd been that busy.

April checked her phone and saw a text from Jackson:

Jackson: Meet me under the mistletoe in the ER at midnight.

She blushed. It didn't take a genius to figure out what her husband wanted.

"_Do you miss them?" Colin asked Catherine sadly. Sometimes Erin and Graycin annoyed him but he couldn't imagine them not being alive anymore. _

_Catherine took a minute to think about it. "All the time. But what is it that your mother says all the time? They're with God now. In Heaven. Right?"_

_Immediately Colin agreed and Catherine knew her son had picked the right woman. She was raising their babies' right. _

_Erin spoke up. "Tell us another story Grandma." She asked, listening alertly for another story. _

"_Well," Catherine laughed. "When I was your age Erin, I started working so that I could help my parents afford Christmas. There was a little store not far from our house and my father got my sister and I jobs there. We worked at the cash register every day after school and do you know how much we made an hour?"_

_Erin shrugged, she had never even had a job yet. But sometimes her parents gave her some money for helping with the chores or helping Colin with his homework. _

"_How much?"_

_Catherine waited a moment before she said "0.50 cents." _

_All three Avery kids gasped. "An hour?!" Graycin shrieked, trying to do the math in his head. "So if you worked for four hours after school you only made two dollars for the whole day?"_

_She nodded. "That's right."_

"_Do any of you want to hear about the best Christmas present I ever received?" She asked them, flashing them her best smile. The one she used that could convince anyone to smile. And they did. _

"_Yeah!" They all said, waiting for another story about her childhood. _

"_Well this one goes back almost forty five years ago. To 1982." She counted, making sure all of her math was right. _

_The kids gasped with mouths open wide, because that was so long ago to them they couldn't comprehend it. _

"_When I was married to your grandfather. Harper Jr." _

_The kids hadn't heard much about him so she had their complete attention. "It was late in the day one early December night. I hadn't been feeling very good, sick to my stomach, sore all over. Very fatigued…tired." She went on, listing everything that was wrong with her that day. _

"_And I had taken some tests at the hospital to make sure nothing was wrong. But the hospital called and do you know what they told me?" She asked, eyes wide and deep into the story._

"_What?" Colin asked her anxiously. His little body was shaking he was so excited. _

"_They told me that I was pregnant. With your father!" She grinned. Colin tried to do the math. "That was a long time ago Grandma!" Catherine chuckled. "It was. But you know what? To this day, he was still the very best early Christmas present that I ever could have asked for." _

Another hour passed and she still hadn't seen her husband. And then there were two minutes until midnight and still no sign of him.

She stood though, under the only mistletoe she saw in the ER and waited for her husband. He surprised her by coming from the other direction, spinning her around, backing her up into the nurses station counter and planting a big, sweet kiss right on her lips. Their make-out session gathered a few hoots and hollers from patients and staff in the ER which left April fifty shades of red.

"What was that for?" She blushed, wiping a small smear of her red lipstick off of her husband's face.

He grinned cheekily at her. "It's Christmas and your sweet kiss was the first gift I wanted to receive."

She turned crimson and he kept whispering naughty things in her ear. "Jackson!" She giggled, hiding her face in his chest.

"I love you so much." Jackson sighed, tightening his arms around his best friend. She kissed him again. "I love you more."


	10. Calling It Christmas

**Calling It Christmas – Elton John/Joss Stone**

**Year 14. Rated M. **

**And again, I can't get back to a lot of the 'anon' reviews so I just want to say THANK YOU!**

"Thank you for coming to the Christmas Eve service with me Jackson." April smiled brightly at her maturing husband and he smiled back. "Of course. I go every year."

"You know what I mean." She teased, licking her lips slightly and going in for the kiss she'd been wanting from him all night. It was a hungry kiss but they almost always started that way.

"So are we ready for Christmas?" He asked her, knowing fully well that she was the one in charge.

"Actually," She sighed, "I was thinking about running to Target to get a few last minute stocking stuffers now that the kids are asleep. Want to go?"

He shrugged. Someone needed to accompany his wife or else she'd come back hundreds of dollars later. Target did something weird to her. Not that they couldn't afford is necessarily.

"Sure. I'm in. Let me change." He offered and she did the same. April wrote a note really quickly incase Graycin woke up, he was old enough to babysit now. They both had their cell phones too.

They walked into the garage and got into their SUV. Jackson drove. Target was only a 15 minute drive. When they turned on the radio they heard Joshua Radin's song "Today" on an oldies channel. "Our wedding song." Jackson grinned. April was just thinking the same thing. The resort had played the song for them when April walked down the aisle to meet Jackson, even though they were the only ones there. It was still a special song for them. April held his hand, or his arm really for the rest of the way to Target.

When they got there they were lucky the one by them was open late on Christmas Eve. Jackson pushed a cart and followed April around. She bought a few more bags of candy and stocking stuffers, a couple of books for Erin and Colin who were the readers of the family and a photo album for his mother. She was working on putting one together for her Christmas gift, but since she wouldn't actually see Catherine until a few days after Christmas this year, she still had time.

"Do we need anything else?" She turned around, asking her husband who was hunched over the cart he was pushing while checking his emails on his phone.

He shrugged. He was just along for the ride. "Are we making breakfast in the morning?"

She nodded. "I was thinking about making a French toast casserole…thing… I found the idea on Pinterest."

He laughed. She was always on Pinterest. "Do we need anything for it?"

"No, we have everything. I picked it up earlier at the market. I might actually get a few more candy canes to add onto the tree tonight though." She spoke to herself, directing them both back over to the Christmas candy. They checked out and made it home within an hour. All of the kids were still blissfully asleep.

Jackson decorated the rest of the tree with the candy canes which had somehow became a tradition in their home late night Christmas Eve once the kids were asleep. April stuffed their stockings that they were still getting. Together they put the rest of the presents under the tree.

The next morning April was up at six am, expecting the kids to be up. But they weren't. And then Jackson was up and they still weren't.

He leaned over to her side of the bed where his wife laid on her stomach, still cozy under all the sheets and blankets. "Good morning, Baby."

She hummed back a blissful "Good morning. Merry Christmas."

"Can I have my Christmas present now?" He asked her huskily. It had also been their tradition to wake up before the kids were up for an early morning workout. Fourteen years going strong.

"Are you sure it's not too late? It's after six." She asked him, double checking the clock by her side of the bed.

"April, they're older now. They're sleeping in. And they know because of that one time to always knock when our door is closed." He teased, but became more serious by kissing a path from her shoulders up to her long neck making her moan.

She nodded and he rolled her onto her back, only to crawl on top of her in the most familiar of ways. She was already breathing heavy but when she pulled her bottom lip in between her teeth to stay quiet when his hands started wandering, he almost lost it. They knew how to be quick, since the kids could be up at any minute. He pulled her pajama pants off and she helped him push his boxers down just enough to free himself. He'd never slept with a shirt on which always made things easier.

He had to take a second to pull her tank top over her head because her breasts were calling to him. He face plummeted into them, paying equal attention to each and showing them his appreciation. First he took them both in the palm of his hands, rubbing the pads of his thumbs across her nipples to feel how hard they were and then he took one in his mouth and ran his tongue across it. And then the other. By this time April was already almost there, her breathing was labored and she needed him.

"Jackson!" She mumbled impatiently into his shoulder, biting and gently thrusting her hips up to show her need for him.

He nodded, holding himself against her entrance and pushing until he was fully surrounded by her. Her back arched and her hands snuck under her pillow while she tried to be quiet. But the way he was moving inside of her, thrusting relentlessly made her want to scream.

"Shh," He hushed, using his own mouth to quiet hers. Every time he pounded into her, she felt it all the way down to her toes. His hands moved from her breasts down to her hips, holding her tightly in his arms.

She rolled them so she could be on top and watched him groan as his head hit her pillow. She worked him hard, moving up and down on him at an even quicker pace that she set. Her hands found his and held them above his head while she rode him.

Jackson shuddered at the feeling of her bare breasts pressed up against his chest, feeling her rock on top of him. She worked him perfectly. Within a few minutes her own orgasm overtook her and he followed immediately, emptying inside of her until she collapsed on top of him.

Not even thirty seconds later they heard the pitter-patter of feet and doors in the living room. The kids were up.


	11. Christmas Bell Medley

**Christmas Bell Medley – Mandisa**

**Year 15**

"_We'll close out tonight's service with Silent Night. Sang by our very own Erin Avery. Please join us…"_

_Erin made her way to the front of the stage. She was in her Christmas best, even having gone shopping for a new dress for the service. _

_She sang a Capella. _

_Silent night_

_All is calm, All is bright_

_Round young virgin, Mother and child_

_Holy infant so tender and mild_

_Sleep in heavenly peace_

_Sleep in heavenly peace_

_Silent night, Holy night_

_Shepherds quake_

_At the sight_

_Glories stream from Heaven afar_

_Heavenly hosts sing Hallelujah_

_Christ the Savior is born_

_Christ the Savior is born_

_Silent night, Holy night_

_Son of God, Love's pure light_

_Radiant beams from Thy holy face_

_With the dawn of redeeming grace_

_Jesus Lord, at thy birth_

_Jesus Lord, at thy birth_

_When she was done the entire sanctuary was eerily silent. One of the few things that could be heard was April's sniffling and the extra packed sanctuary beginning to shuffle out. Jackson pulled her into his arms and held her, letting the tears fall. She did a beautiful job with the song she had been practicing for weeks now. He couldn't believe that was his daughter either. _

"_She was so good." Jackson remarked in awe, looking over his wife's shoulder, trying to spot her. She was being interrupted by a million families they had all known forever, since attending that church together. _

"_She is amazing. She's so good and mature for just 14 years old. I can't believe that was our baby." She breathed, looking back at her daughter who was in a friendly conversation with Mr. and Mrs. King and their son David. _

_Catherine was in a conversation with Joe and Karen Kepner and it was something to have to do with religion that they were in the middle of. They'd gotten terribly used to each other and their beliefs over the years, their theological conversations were always friendly and thought-provoking. _

_April's sisters were gathering their kids and husbands and ushering them out of the sanctuary toward the narthex. The whole clan was in Seattle for Christmas. _

_Catherine found April and gave her a tight hug, then whispered in her ear, "Good people raising their babies right."_

_That was the biggest compliment April ever received from Catherine. She took it to heart. _

They arrived back at the Avery house just after 9 pm. This was the first year that none of the kids believed in Santa, Colin broke the news accidentally one day in early September when he went on a rant about the Easter Bunny, Tooth Fairy and Santa all being made up. It broke April's heart a little bit but she knew it was coming.

"So looks like those voice lessons are really paying off." Richard beamed at his granddaughter. They were his birthday present to her since he knew she had a voice just like her mother but never decided to take lessons.

Erin grinned, "I love going to lessons Grandpa. I sing at church a couple weeks from now too. Are you going to come?"

Richard shook his head. "I would love to sweetheart but your Grandma and I will be in Europe. Next time?"

Erin nodded, she seemed happy with that.

Karen interrupted, "Do you sweetie? Maybe one of you can record it for us."

April stopped her. "Mom, you know there are no phones allowed in church. Even for recording." She said sternly, looking mostly at her two boys to reinforce the policy. Karen shrugged.

"Mom, do we have a vase for these?" Erin jumped up, holding the pink roses her Grandpa Richard gave her after church and the yellow roses from the Kepner side. They were gorgeous. April nodded. "It's in the top shelf. Have one of the boys get it for you if you can't reach."

Graycin jumped up to get the vase, he was already taller than his father was even. April knew he was taking after Big Joe.

Colin counted the people in their living room. "There are 19 of us. That's a big family." He laughed, telling Jackson. He agreed. He grew up with three people around for holidays, sometimes. It was weird not having Harper around, but he died a couple of years ago after a brief battle with lung cancer.

"I think we should make a circle and all share one of our favorite Christmas moments." Karen smiled, gesturing toward the living room where they could all sit. It wasn't Jackson's thing but it's where his family was so it's where he was.

Karen insisted on going first. "This is mine. The _whole_ family is here, and for that, I'm thankful."

Everyone smiled and the torch was passed to Big Joe. April jumped up to grab the sugar cookies and coffee from the kitchen. Joe had his. "My favorite Christmas moment was what… over 50 years ago. Right Karen?" He asked his wife, trying to remember. They were both pushing 80 these days and memories were slipping. Karen knew which one he was talking about though, so she confirmed it.

"It was the Christmas we spent at my Mom's house, the year before she died. She got to see all of you girls and I had never seen her so happy." He choked up, wiping his eyes quickly at the memory of his Mom and his four girls and the pictures they got. It was dear to him.

Jackson was sitting next to Big Joe. "Mine… Mine was the year we went to Moline. And Grandma and Grandpa (he motioned toward his Mom and Richard) got to meet us out there too. We got to see all the animals and see how Mom used to have Christmas. Do you guys remember that?"

They all agreed in unison. They always talked about that Christmas. They had only been out to Moline once for Christmas a few years ago. It was hard with all of their schedules. They'd gone on many occasions throughout the rest of the year but making it out for holidays always took a lot of effort.

The torch was passed along to every member of the Kepner/Avery family, until everyone got the chance to share their favorite Christmas memory.

After a while, the kids retreated to their spots in one of the bedrooms, and the adult couples went to the other bedrooms in the house that the kids had graciously offered up.

April and Jackson were the last ones up, making sure everyone else was taken care of. As they walked past the bedroom all three of their kids were sharing they overheard their conversation. "I'm grateful for the day I don't have to share a bedroom anymore with you two idiots." Erin laughed as she was saying it and it was immediately followed up by her brothers laughing too.

"We could not have asked for better kids." April sang to her husband as they walked to their room. He agreed, pulling her hand into his as they walked on.


	12. Christmas In Harlem

**Christmas in Harlem – Kanye West/Prynce Cy Hi**

**Year 15. **

April watched her husband help their sixteen year old son from across the room. The party was going on without a hitch but this was the fifteenth Christmas party they'd thrown together, so she hoped they had it down by now. She saw that Jackson had pulled Graycin aside to fix his tie but she couldn't hear what they were saying to each other.

"_Dad, really?" Graycin groaned at his father, folding his arms across his chest angrily. His face was red and judging by his body language the kid had little to say to him. _

_Jackson rolled his eyes. "Hey Bud, watch it." He scolded, but it only gained him another bout of attitude. Jackson gave him that look he had mastered over the years, even April knew it. It meant the conversation was over. He didn't use it on her often, if ever, but the kids knew it well._

April watched them interact from a far, noticing that they were the same height, had the same mannerisms and even seemed to be wearing the same watch. She took in the way her family had helped her decorate their home for Christmas the day after Thanksgiving. There was a large twelve foot tree in the corner, decorated nearly with warm white lights and carefully matching glass ornaments. The tree in their family room was the smaller one with bright colored lights and homemade ornaments from all of their childhoods. That one was her favorite.

The mantle was decorated with garland and stockings. April's stocking was saved directly from her Grandma Lucille was starting to fall apart but she loved it to pieces so she kept using it. Jackson, Graycin, Erin and Colin all had new stockings or at least newer than hers and they were all different in their own ways. Graycin's was average sized and had the Celtics logo on it. Erin's was a knitted red and white stocking covered in snowflakes. Colin's was just really big because he when he got it he figured Santa would stuff his the fullest. Jackson's was red with the name "Dad" stitched into it across the top.

The garland delicately wrapped the stairway leading upstairs and Christmas cards from their extended friends and family lined the doorway. She could smell the Christmas cookies they baked earlier still strongly filling the house. The wooden cross she received from her confirmation was nailed near the front doorway and all of her children's were beneath it. It was her favorite time of year.

Back across the room Jackson tried to change the subject. He knew Graycin was less than pleased that he had to be at their Christmas party rather than the one his girlfriend's parents were throwing on the same night. But they wanted him home for it since all of their friends and family were in the same place for the only time that year, barring any major disasters.

She could tell there was a verbal lull in the conversation, even though they were evidently arguing in silence. The background was filled with Christmas in Harlem and it was the Kanye West/Prynce Cy Hi version she didn't care for as much but Graycin had offered to help with the playlist before he realized what night the party was on and wanted nothing to do with it.

"_I'm sorry for everything Dad." Graycin apologized, staring down at his feet ashamed. He knew he was overboard with attitude lately._

_Jackson shrugged. "I get it. I would have wanted to be with my girlfriend too if I were you. But you know your Mother wants you here tonight. You get that, right?" _

_Graycin nodded. "I get it. It's just… she never thinks about things from my point of view. It's always about what she wants." He knew he was out of line again but he couldn't stop himself. _

"_Hey. Watch it. Your mother has put you first since before you were even born. She just wants what's best for you and so do I. You can't blame her for wanting you to be at the Christmas party. She has three more years before you can decide not to be here. Until then, you're ours. Got it?" _

_He rolled his eyes and agreed while he tried to squirm away from a hug from his Father who pulled him into a hug. He knew he was stuck at the party but he didn't have to like it. _

In one corner of their living room she saw Richard and Catherine laughing about something only they knew and giving each other the lovey eyes. They'd been married for fifteen years now, were both retired and cuter than ever. They did nothing hospital related anymore and traveled almost exclusively. When they weren't traveling they were stationed back in Seattle to see the grandbabies.

On the other side of the house she caught Owen and Amelia talking to Ben and Bailey and they appeared to be talking medicine even though she made it clear medicine was off-limits for the night. She knew because she saw that all four were completely absorbed in the conversation. It was hard for her to believe that she'd known all of these people for twenty something odd years. Because now they were all her family and she wouldn't have it any other way.

When she looked back at her husband, she saw him making Graycin laugh as he slightly bobbed to the music. He was in that stage of being easily embarrassed and April knew Jackson loved this song just as much as Graycin. Graycin found it on his Dad's iPod. Before long she saw Graycin laugh and lose the attitude. The tense weight of the conversation lifted. She knew it would.

April joined her husband and eldest son. "Don't you two look handsome?"

Jackson sniggered at her comment, knowing Graycin wouldn't be happy. "Manly Mom, we look manly."

She pressed her lips together and whistled as he took off in the other direction. Jackson pulled her into his arms.

"You think I look handsome?" He teased, wrapping his arms around her waist to dance with her.

She looked up at him lovingly, "You always look handsome."

He would never get used to hearing that. She was so sweet to him. Even after all these years.

They swayed to the music, listening to whatever Christmas songs played over the speakers next. It was their favorite time of the year.

Jo and Alex were next to them, dancing as well. Eventually Derek and Meredith, Ben and Bailey, Owen and Amelia and all the other couples joined them too. Richard took Erin's hand and Catherine pulled a grumpy Graycin onto the dance floor with her. Colin finally got the dance from Alex's daughter Catie that he'd been trying to get for all those years, even though a watchful Alex peered in over his shoulder at his daughters first dance.


	13. Baby, It's Cold Outside

**Those last couple of reviews though. Wow. I am so glad to actually get people picking up on some of the things I'm trying to show in this series. So thank you. **_**Thank you.**_

**Baby, It's Cold Outside – Jessica Simpson/Nick Lachey**

**Year 18**

"What's the hurry, Erin?" Her boyfriend asked her, from where they sat in his pickup truck. Their impromptu make-out session was getting carried away when she noticed his hands were starting to slide up the back of her shirt. She wanted to go further with him but she wasn't ready to be that kind of girl.

"I really can't stay, my parents are probably waiting." She sighed, pulling her skirt back down her legs and her top back down to her waistline. She knew her makeup was probably smeared and her hair was frizzy from his hands running through it. She climbed back to the passenger seat. Not to mention it was freezing, parked down the street from her house where it was freezing and snowing outside.

"Are you sure you can't stay out for a little while longer? We could get dessert somewhere?" He asked sadly, sad to see her go. They'd been dating for two years and he was head over heels in love with her. He had been since the time he saw her.

She shook her head. "My mother is probably worried. My dad is probably pacing the floor."

"I'll take you home then." He agreed, starting up the truck.

"I'm sorry. I just don't want them to worry. And besides, the longer we stay out at night, the less my dad likes you." She sighed, knowing it was the absolute truth. Her father did nothing but worry about her being out late with him even if they did meet at church and both had good intentions…getting into virtually no trouble over the past two years.

"It's ok. I understand." He promised her, taking a few breathes to try and collect some of his excitement.

When they parked in her driveway he ran around the truck to open her door and walk her to the door. He insisted on opening doors for her, paying for her meals and all of those boyfriendly things. It took some getting used to on her part since not a lot of the other boys at school were like that, but she really liked that quality in him.

"I had a lot of fun tonight." He grinned, carefully settling his hands on her waistline. She agreed.

"Me too. Thank you. For dinner. The show. I had a really good time."

He nodded. There was a moment of silence. They didn't realize that her father was watching them intently from the other side of the window, peaking around the corner.

"This kid doesn't really think that he's going to get away with kissing her. On my porch. On the porch of my own house." Jackson ranted, they were already way too close for his comfort.

April rolled her eyes dramatically. "Relax. They're not doing anything you didn't do at their age."

Jackson panicked. "What? That's the worst possible thing you could say to me right now April!"

She forgot who she was talking to. Not everyone had a threesome for their first time and not everyone was only sixteen when that happened.

"Sorry!" She corrected. "What I meant, was that they're just kissing. I'm sure of it. We talk."

Jackson shook his head. "That's too much. I don't like it. I don't like it at all April."

April laughed. "They met at church. They have a band together. They're not doing anything."

Jackson shook his head at the naïveté his wife had toward teenagers. Hardly any teenagers were as good as she was she was a teenager. He knew it.

On the other side of the door, Erin's boyfriend made his move. "Can I kiss you now?"

Luckily April was distracting Jackson and he didn't catch any of this.

Erin nodded, meeting her boyfriend halfway for a goodnight kiss. He pulled her closer into his arms and inhaled the strawberry scent she was illuminating. They stayed like that, kissing goodnight hungrily, until Jackson opened the door to welcome her home.

"Oh hi sweetheart, you're home." He pulled her inside and shut the door, standing out on the front porch with her boyfriend.

"While I have you here," He started, "I just want to make sure that we're on the same page."

"Uhh, good evening Dr. Avery." Christian mumbled nervously, not entirely sure what was going to happen next.

"Listen to what I'm saying son, because I'm not going to repeat myself." Jackson instructed carefully and slowly so he wouldn't miss anything.

"Erin is my only daughter. I took her to daddy-daughter dances, I went to years of ballet recitals, I can still hear her calling out to me to tuck her in at night. I see her and I remember the years she refused to take off her tutu and that was ok. She's my princess. Always has been, always will be. But I know she's growing up and I have to understand that," he mumbled something about 'or so her mother says' under his breath and continued "But so help me God, if you _ever_ hurt her or try to do anything that she doesn't want to do or isn't comfortable with doing I will kill you. If she doesn't go to college and it has something to do with you, I will kill you. If I find her crying and it has something to do with you, I will kill you. And don't think that I won't find out, because I will. Am I clear?"

Christian visibly gulped, trying to comprehend the entire lecture he just got. There was nothing about what was said that appeared to have been humorous. There was definitely nothing there that was to be taken lightly.

This was a different Dr. Avery than what he was used to from church. He'd only ever seen him while he was with Erin's mom and on his best behavior. He was smiling and ushering at church. He wasn't giving frightening lectures and threats.

"Yes Sir." He told him, looking him in the eye to confirm his answer.

"Good." He nodded, easing his body language slightly to lighten the mood. "I'm sure Erin told you we have season tickets to the Seahawks, right?"

He nodded. He loved the Seahawks. "What do you say to going to the game with us? Colin will be visiting his Grandmother in Boston so we have an extra ticket."

Christian nodded eagerly. "Absolutely. Thank you, Sir."

Christian didn't go anywhere, he didn't know if he was 'dismissed' or not. "Why are you still standing here son?" Jackson asked him, confused.

Christian flew off the porch, into his truck and out of the driveway. When Jackson walked back into the house he was welcomed by two unhappy women.

"Dad, really? Why did you have to go and do that?" Erin groaned, she felt thoroughly embarrassed by the lecture her dad just forced on her boyfriend.

"Really, Erin. It all had to be said. Don't worry. I didn't hurt him or anything." He mocked, walking down the hallway and into his office. He was choosing to ignore the wrath of his wife for as long as he could.

Erin pulled her phone out to text Christian.

**Erin: I am SO sorry about my Dad.**

She got no response for the next ten minutes and became a pile of nerves. But finally her phone went off.

**Christian: Don't be. He was just being a Dad. Plus he invited me to the game with your family on Sunday **

Erin sighed in relief. Her Dad could be cool. She knew it.


	14. Step Into Christmas

**Step Into Christmas – The Puppini Sisters**

**Year 21.**

**The first part of this story is a flashback, and the end steps into present day. It's a little different, so try to have an open mind **

"_I just…I just don't know why he's been acting that way Arizona." April sighed, pushing her cobb salad around on her plate from where they sat in the cafeteria. Her thoughts were killing her appetite. _

_There really didn't seem to be a reason, not one that Arizona could think of either. But she saw the difference. "He's been busy Apes. Sometimes you just need time. Maybe some personal space." _

_She shook her off. "He's not any busier than usual. I checked his caseload. I'm on the board too. I'm turning into someone straight out of a Carrie Underwood song. Help." _

_Arizona shrugged. "And you're convinced he's cheating on you? Really? I just don't think Jackson would do that."_

"_I don't want to think that. I don't. But I don't know what else to think." April admitted quickly, going on a rant that was quickly cut off by Meredith who sat down at the table to join them for lunch. _

"_What don't you know what else to think about?" She asked, taking a big bite of her pizza and sighing at the feeling of some food finally hitting her hollow stomach. After more than twenty five years of working together they had finally became pretty close friends. _

"_Nothi-" April spat out but was interrupted by Arizona. "April thinks Jackson's cheating on her." _

_The obvious sound of April kicking Arizona under the table penetrated the awkward silence and Arizona's cough made the situation worse._

"_Ugh! What was that for?" She asked loudly, shaking her head at her best friend sitting across from her. _

_Meredith interrupted. "Why do you think Jackson's cheating on you?" She'd almost never seen the Avery's have any trouble in paradise. _

_April listed all of the same reasons she told Arizona a few minutes ago and Meredith jumped up for a pretend page and ran, leaving behind half of her pizza and the salad that was untouched._

_They stared at each other awkwardly until April got up and walked away, trying her best not to cry._

_The day had been long, but she was finally home. Her husband wasn't. She did her normal routine though, cleaning up after the small dinner she made for herself since Graycin and Erin were out of the house, Colin was out for the night and her husband was nowhere to be found. _

_She washed her makeup off, brushed her teeth and changed into her pajamas. They had never had a tv in their room, so she read while winding down for bed just like she normally did. Maybe her book wasn't good or wasn't interesting to her, or maybe she just couldn't take her mind off of the idea that her husband was probably out with another woman. She knew from her sources that he wasn't at the hospital any longer for the day. He'd left two hours ago._

_Ten o'clock and he still wasn't home. She didn't feel like waiting any longer because the feeling was painful. How could he have done this to her? What about her wasn't good enough anymore? Why couldn't he have just left her instead of putting her through this? The lonely feeling of sitting at home alone was killing her._

_She turned the light off but then heard him pull in the garage almost immediately after. He went through his normal get home routine too before entering their bedroom. She stayed "asleep" because why be awake? Why make him pretend he was happy to see her? _

_He stripped down and jumped in the shower, washing the day off. A few minutes later he crawled into bed, snuggling into her and pulling her into her arms. When she shook him off and moved further over to the other side of the bed, he was baffled. _

"_Babe, where are you going?" He asked her, thoroughly confused. _

"_Jackson, don't. I'm not in the mood and I don't want to be touched. Especially by you." _

_He took a minute to digest what she had just said, her words were cold. "What does especially by you mean?" _

_She turned around to look at him, despite the lights being off in their room. She didn't want to bring up the cheating but she gave him every opportunity to tell her himself and he didn't. She asked him where he'd been and he talked around it. "It means I don't want my dirty, unholy, cheating husband anywhere near me. Get out Jackson." _

_She pointed toward their bedroom door but really she meant the house. "Leave! Get out!"_

_His jaw dropped. "Wait. Just a minute April." He finally pushed out. He reached over to his nightstand and flicked on the lamp that sat on the table. _

_She folded her arms angrily across her chest and then went to their bathroom, slamming the door behind her. None of the kids were home so it was just the two of them. Luckily. _

_Jackson sat in silence, stunned. He didn't know how she could ever believe that he would cheat on her. He would never break their vows, especially not like that. _

"_April, come out of there. Please." He asked her, hoping she would before he had to get up and really beg her but he heard no movements on the other side of the door. _

_So he got up. And he tried to open the door but it was locked. Of course. "Babe, please."_

"_Jackson. Go away. Please." She was shutting down. _

_He couldn't take it anymore. After a while the anger and the resentment of being thought of like that got to him. So he yelled back. _

"_Dammit April! Do you really think that I would cheat on you? Really? Over twenty years of marriage and I've never once even looked at another woman! I've never wanted anyone but you. Ever. But you know what April? I'm offended that you would think that low of me. After everything I've done for you, after everything I've done for our family. So you know what, you can stay in there. Come to bed when you feel like being a damn adult." _

_Her sadness turned to anger and now she was in a blind rage. The bathroom door flew open and she came out, completely furious. Much like the time she saw Jackson the bus explosion, she came at him. Her fists pounding into his chest. Not in an "I want to hurt you" kind of way, but in a "How could you ever do this to me?" kind of way. _

_He grabbed her fists, engulfing them into his hands. Finally she yelled back, "I didn't think you were cheating on me Jackson. I never thought that, but what am I supposed to think? I'm not stupid, I'm not oblivious to everything. What do you want me to think Jackson? What do you want me to tell myself when I'm home and you're out with another woman? What was I supposed to think?" She spit out, tears of anger spilling down her face. _

_He barked back at her, "The other woman is your brother April! You have a brother. Joe cheated on your mom and he found you. Well… he found me. He came to the hospital."_

_April paused completely. "My dad would have never cheated on my mom. Ever. Why would you even say that?"_

_Jackson was quiet, trying to choose his words carefully. He'd been nervous to tell April because of course she would take it poorly. Her parents had what she thought was a perfect marriage for decades and decades. Her dad had been gone for six months and her mom less than three. _

"_From what I've pieced together, he was conceived the same year Libby was born. And that's about the same time your dad was away at boot camp for the army, right? While your mom was pregnant in Moline?" _

_She carefully sat down on the edge of their bed. He was away then. The timeline made sense but the whole thing was shady. _

"_My dad would have never done that." She told him, shaking him and the idea off. _

"_April, I'm sorry. But he did. People make mistakes." He told her pulling her into his arms. She wept. Everything she believed in was over. _

_She didn't bother asking him how he knew for sure because if he was convinced, so was she. _

**Two months later**

*Ding*

"Colin will you answer the door?" April asked her youngest son who was entranced by his cell phone. She wanted to break the thing.

He groaned at her request but got up to get the door. "Oh hey Uncle Luke."

"Hey Colin. Hey April. Thanks for having me over." He smiled politely. He set the bottle of wine and couple of gifts he brought on the kitchen counter.

"Of course. You're family." She smiled earnestly. The whole situation had been immensely difficult for her but she was making it work. It wasn't Luke's fault, the way he was conceived. It was her fathers though and forgiving him had been a task all its own. She still wasn't able to completely forgive him.

Jackson wondered into the kitchen from his office. "Hey man," He greeted his brother-in-law, pulling him in for a quick one shoulder hug.

"Hey, I was just thanking you guys for having me over. I hate being alone on Christmas," He laughed, shaking his head.

"Oh yeah, any time. Are we still on for some hoops tomorrow night?" Jackson asked him. They were became quick friends and Luke was the perfect addition to their family.

Luke nodded. "For sure." They were both interested in a lot of the same things. Fitness, sports, eating.

Colin and Graycin set the table and they all sat down for an early breakfast before opening the rest of their gifts.


	15. Frosty the Snowman

**Frosty the Snowman – Zee Avi **

**Year 25**

**I am SO sorry this is being posted so late tonight. I wanted to fix a couple things in the story and ran out of time. Apologies!**

**Graycin**

The window was open and the noises of New York City were evident. The cold fall air was blowing into his room and the sun was already peaking over the clouds. It seemed like the late October morning had started without them.

"We have to get up," Natasha sighed, trying not to giggle at the way Graycin's lips were attached to her neck and the way his hands were grabbing her behind. She was already about to be late for class but knowing that wasn't making her get up any quicker.

"Why? Let's just stay here, all day." He groaned, holding himself up on top of her and playfully blocking her into her space below him on the bed.

She sighed, trying to convince herself that they needed to get up. "But you have rounds," she poked his chiseled chest before losing her attention at the way his hand slid up her stomach and cupped her breast.

"What were you saying?" He grinned, loving the way she was so easily distractible. She huffed at him.

"I was saying," she paused, "that you have rounds in an hour and I should be getting to the station. I'm not even close to ready and…." Graycin placed his lips over hers, effectively stopping the rant she was on.

She gave in and ended up being late to work. Her partner called her out on it right away too.

**Erin**

"The easy way to tell your parents would be to just let me come home with you for Christmas," Erin's girlfriend Alyson tried reasoning with her. Erin wasn't convinced. Alyson's parents knew she was gay, but Erin's had no idea. The last time she was home she had a boyfriend.

"You don't think that's a little… sudden?" She asked, completely unsure of how to bring up the whole thing. Over three years ago she realized she wasn't only interested in men but hadn't "come out" to her parents yet. Both of her brothers knew and neither one of them cared. She didn't think her dad would care but she was unsure about her mom.

Alyson pulled their hands together, latching them at the fingers. They were sitting on a bench in the middle of the Sarah Lawrence College courtyard, watching the leaves fall off the mature golden trees around them. "They deserve to know."

Erin's eyes filled up with tears and she nodded. Coming out to her parents was the scariest thing she ever thought about doing. Scarier than singing in front of hundreds of people and scarier than moving across the country for college. She just wanted her parents to still love her.

**Colin **

Colin and Jackson were relaxed on the couch, watching the game that just started. Jackson was off work for the night and Colin was… Colin. If there was a game on, he was watching it. He had gotten into Northwestern, NYU and Dartmouth pre-med programs. Instead he wanted to be a teacher. He just didn't know how his parents would take it. Graycin was in med school and Erin was off at Sarah Lawrence studying pre-med. He was supposed to be the other doctor in the family. Their last hope.

"When's mom coming home?" He asked his father, sticking his hand into the popcorn bowl between them for another handful.

"You know your mother." Jackson answered, which while not an answer to his question also answered it completely. It meant he knew she was a trauma surgeon and even though she was a department head these days, her hours were still completely unpredictable.

"What's for dinner?" He asked next, hungry and anxious. He didn't know how his parents were going to take the news.

Jackson shook his head. "Really? We just went to lunch two hours ago and now we're eating popcorn. How are you still hungry?"

April walked in just in time, hands full and struggling. Jackson jumped up to help her with her bag from work and a few other things she brought in from the car. He leaned down to give her a kiss. "I missed you today babe."

She smiled, wrapping her arms around him tightly. They were in their own bubble. "You didn't say goodbye this morning." He frowned, rubbing his hands up and down her side and feeling her cold skin underneath her clothes, trying to warm her up from the outside.

"I know, but you were knocked out and I didn't want to wake you." She smiled, remembering what she did to him the night before that made him so tired. The way she licked her lips after she said that made him want her to do it again.

Colin interrupted. "Can you guys stop? Please? It's bad enough being the only one left here with you two. I don't want to have to see it." He complained, waving his hands behind him at his parents PDA.

"Well bud, you're free to move out at any time." Jackson reminded him, kissing his bride one more time and giving her behind a quick smack. She yelped and Colin fake gagged.

"Actually, that's what I wanted to speak to you guys about." Colin announced, walking nervously into the kitchen while looking down nervously at his hands, doing a 180 from the conversation just seconds ago. "I don't want to go into pre-med. I want to be a teacher."

April and Jackson stared back at him, shocked. They had always just assumed he wanted to be a doctor. "A teacher?" April asked him, trying to understand what he was saying.

He nodded. "What kind of teacher?" She asked, wondering if he had thought it through. Or if he just thought he was out of options.

"A high school history teacher. I think I'll be really good at it." The silence after that was frightening.

Jackson and April looked at each other, shrugged and looked back at their youngest son. "Sounds good sweetie, but I want you in school for winter semester. Got it?" April ordered, giving him the mom face.

"Yes, mom." He smiled, breathing out a sigh of relief.

Jackson laughed, "Have fun telling Grandma Catherine."

**Later at Christmas**

"I just can't believe my kids are all coming home," April smiled while she finished putting together the last apple pie. The house was perfect, the tree was up and she was excited.

Jackson sat on the couch, flipping through channels. "Do you think Graycin is actually going to make it home this year?" He asked, truthfully curious. The kid had skipped the last couple of Christmases last minute in favor of staying around with friends at school or staying with someone he was dating or whatever other shenanigans he was in at the time.

April's face answered his question. He had to come home. "I invited Natasha for Christmas. They're both coming."

They had good timing because Graycin, Colin and Natasha arrived from the airport shortly after. April and Jackson pulled Graycin in for a hug and April cried. She kissed his forehead, and then his cheeks and had a hard time letting him go. "You're home!"

"I'm home mom." He laughed, wiping whatever could-be lipstick off his face that he could. He knew that was going to happen.

"This," he beamed and pulled the tall, dark haired woman into his arms, "Is Natasha. My fiancé."

All three of their jaws dropped. "Fiancé?" He nodded. "Since yesterday."

April was shocked, Jackson was worried about April and Colin was amused. The bombshell was big. They had so many questions.

Luckily for Graycin, Erin's plane was early and she broke up the tension by walking into a wide open front entry way. "I'm home!"

They all turned to face her in silence. She didn't quite know what was going on, so she wrapped her arms around her mother who seemed to be having a moment of complete and utter shock. "Mom! Hug me!"

April turned to look at her finally. "Baby, you're home!" She forced a smile and noticed the woman standing awkwardly behind her daughter. Erin snuck into her dad's arms too. "I missed you daddy." He smirked and sighed as his little girl was in his arms again. It was short lived though.

"Oh, you brought a friend. Hi. I'm April. This is-," she started introducing everyone when Erin cut her off.

"She's my girlfriend, not my friend friend. I'm bisexual. Just thought you should know."

The silence was near inevitable until Colin couldn't take it anymore.

"I'm not going to med school!" He exclaimed, thrusting his fist into the air like his news was new too. The annoyed look he got from his parents was priceless.

"Merry Christmas." He mumbled to himself and walked away.

**I know this story was a little wild. But I feel like it's all stuff we can relate to. Please let me know what you thought and thank you again for reading!**


	16. White Christmas

**This picks up just a year later than the last update, updating you on what happened since then. Enjoy!**

**White Christmas – Michael Buble ft. Shania Twain**

**Year 26**

"You're giving us the crib?" Emily wept, trying to hide her tears. She was seven months ready but felt like she was going to be giving birth any day. Graycin was attached to her hip, holding one hand on her swollen belly and using the other to gently wipe her tears.

April nodded. "Of course we are. You're having our first grand baby." She smiled widely, looking down at her daughter-in-laws belly. Graycin and Emily were getting the crib, Erin was getting the jewelry that both April and Jackson received from their mothers and grandmothers and they were saving Grandma Karen's engagement ring for Colin to give to _the one_.

Jackson was just as happy. "Just take care of it. Generations of Kepner women have used that crib, you know." He smiled at April and they both thought back to the time her mother came to visit when they were newly married and were still trying to figure out how to get a hold of the whole parenting thing. They hadn't even had a nursery set up at that point.

She nodded and tried to pull herself up onto her feet so she could hug them. Graycin jumped up immediately to be at her rescue. First she hugged April. "Thank you so much. I promise that we'll take excellent care of it. You won't have to worry."

But April knew she wouldn't have to. Something about Emily reminded her of herself. She had nothing but good intentions and she knew she loved her son. They saw the love the two shared immediately. It was nothing like the relationship he had with Natasha just a year earlier when he brought her home. Emily was kind and loving. She and Erin clicked right away and so did she and April. Jackson adored her too.

Jackson gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "We know you will." He told her, offering her the reassurance she needed. Since she didn't have any family of her own, the Avery's were more than willing to be everyone she needed. Their wedding and impending baby were more of a surprise though than when Graycin brought Natasha home a year earlier even. At least then they were just dating. This time around, albeit quite a few months before Christmas, he brought home a wife. And a pregnant one at that.

But the way she meshed into their family made it all okay. They knew Graycin was head over heels in love with her and the way he loved her made them fall in love with her.

"Open what we got you!" Emily smiled, handing them over an elegantly wrapped box with a dark green bow on top. She was extremely proud of it. They figured Graycin had nothing to do with it and when they saw that she had signed his name to the tag, they knew they were right. In a way that made them admire her even more.

April opened the gift, seeing inside a picture frame that held the first two sonograms of the baby. It had the words "Nana & Papa" on the top and below the pictures was painted "A grandparent is a little bit parent, a little bit teacher, and a little bit best friend."

The picture was perfect in every sense of the word. "This is the best gift that I have ever received." April sniffled, looking at her grandbaby. Jackson took it from April and immediately made a place for it on the fireplace mantle, near the high school graduation pictures of their children.

Erin laughed. "Oh nice mom, I thought your favorite gift was the year I made you the plate with pasta glued to it. I see how it is."

April laughed, "Oh shush."

All of the excitement made the baby kick a little. "Feel this! She's all excited. She loves you guys." Emily sang, pulling her mother and father-in-laws' hands to her belly, along with Erin and even her boyfriend Scott's.

Jackson was the most excited. "Maybe she'll play soccer like Grayc did," He beamed, excited to be a Grandpa. He was ready to have another baby in the family, it had been too long. He found himself having baby fever.

"I wish Colin was here," April sulked, thinking about how the whole family was together for once, barring him of course. But he was away doing his college thing. Or more like his Colin thing. Instead he was leading a social justice protest in Washington DC. He'd been at the front of more than one march in Washington since his tenure at Georgetown in DC. If it wasn't one cause, it was another.

It was only a year ago that he nervously broke the news to his parents that he wanted to be a history teacher instead of a physician. They took the news well, both were ecstatic for him. He told them how he didn't just want to teach students history, he wanted to teach them history so they wouldn't repeat it. He was all about making changes and they couldn't have been more on board. They weren't on board with him missing Christmas, but they understand why he was doing it.

"I know. But he's out there, doing his thing, making a name for himself. And we're happy about it. Right?" Jackson asked, rubbing her back soothingly. The way he was her voice of reason in these situations soothed her. She nodded against his chest and smiled. "Right."

"He's going to change the world someday." Jackson promised his wife, like it would all be worth it in the end.

After they finished opening gifts, they were ready to relax. Dinner was still a while away and most of them were tired from all of the traveling.

Erin and Scott took off for a walk so she could show him some of the places she used to go as a kid. The neighborhood was quiet and there was a thin layer of snow on the ground so the edges of Seattle looked absolutely beautiful.

Jackson and April sat next to each other on the couch, wrapped up in each other's arms. They held hands and laughed during parts of _It's A Wonderful Life_ like it was the first time they watched it together. Emily and Graycin wanted a marriage like that. It was honest and graceful.

She could watch them forever, but the baby had other ideas. All of the commotion from Christmas left her exhausted. "I'm going to take a nap," Emily whispered tiredly toward her husband whose arms she was cozied up in. They shared the large chair in the corner of the living room. He nodded and helped her up. "A nap sounds good. I'll go with you."

They made their way toward his old bedroom where they were staying together. April and Jackson waved as they went upstairs to lay down. April couldn't help but mentioning again, "She is so special."

He knew she loved her. "She is. I really don't think we could have asked for anyone better for our son. Even if he did bring her home once they were married and pregnant." He joked, earning a teasing smack from April. Of course she wasn't initially thrilled about that, but after she had one conversation with Emily she was just as in love with her as Graycin was. They still had no idea what happened to Natasha. They had only heard of her and met her that one Christmas, last year, and Emily came along shortly after. But their oldest son wasn't one to kiss and tell.


	17. Party Hard

**Party Hard – Zach Gill**

**Year 27**

"Jackson, you can't just not talk to Erin. She didn't do it to hurt you." April promised to her husband who was angrily trying to fix the broken lawn mower in their garage. He had a wrench in his hand and he was furiously trying to untwist a bolt that held the engine on. The fact that it wasn't coming undone was making him even more of a fuming mess.

"April! My only daughter got married without us. Graycin did it and that was fine, I rather have been there, but he's always been like that. So I get it. But my little girl got married and I didn't get to walk her down the aisle." He shouted, raising his voice at her during one of the only times during their marriage. The sound of it made her flinch, but she wasn't taking in personally because she knew he was hurt. She was hurt too.

"I know. I'm not exactly happy about it either, Jackson." She complained, raising her hands up to signal that she was admitting defeat.

"Ever since she was a little girl, I thought I would get to walk her down the aisle. I'm supposed to do these things. I'm supposed to watch her crawl and walk for the first time, watch her ballet recitals and soccer games, singing solo for the first time. I got to see her graduate high school and then college. The next step was walking her down the aisle April. I was supposed to be there." He stopped playing with the lawn mower and slammed the dirty, old wrench to the ground. When he put his head in his hands so April couldn't see his face, she knew it was because he was really hurting.

He looked up at her and tears were filling his eyes, "She grew up without me."

It broke April's heart. She could really count the times on two hands that she had seen him cry. When each of their children were born, once when they finally took Graycin home and when his mother died.

April leaned down to where he sat on the floor of the garage and offered him her hands to pull him up. She led him into the house which was extra empty feeling today. They had an empty nest.

She walked toward their bedroom, dragging her rugged husband behind her. They got the news that Erin got married a couple of days ago but hadn't had time to talk about it or time to cool down at all. He looked rough with his unshaven face, old college t-shirt and basketball shorts on.

Once they were in their bedroom she stripped off her shirt and pulled her yoga pants down to the floor, stepping out of them. Her black bra and matching panties were the only thing left and they nearly made Jackson forget about all his problems.

His t-shirt was the next thing she peeled off, gently pulling it up and off of her husband. They'd been married for 27 years and were both pushing 60, but somehow he was still perfectly chiseled and fit. It made her swoon to this day.

She pushed him onto the bed and then straddled his waistline. Instead of using her hands to wipe the tears oh his face away, she kissed his tear stained cheeks. He looked so sad, it was breaking her heart.

His arms grazed up her sides, engulfing her tiny waist. Where his hands would normally move toward her breasts like they did so many times when they made love, he wrapped his arms around her tightly, pulling her close and holding her. The skin on skin alone was comforting him.

"Let's just focus on everything we have been there for, okay? We made a pretty amazing little girl, didn't we?" She asked him, smoothing out the lines in his face with her fingertips.

He nodded, thinking back to how little and cute she used to be. Now she was grown woman, and a married one. His little girl.

What Jackson didn't know what that April had talked Erin and Scott into having a small ceremony while everyone was home for Christmas. They were already married and had been for about four months, but this was for Jackson. He was the only one who didn't know it was happening.

Since it was so small they were able to plan it in their living room. They invited only their closest friends from the hospital and a few from church. April, Erin and Emily decorated the living room with flowers and red ribbons. It was Christmasy, especially with the large Christmas tree in the corner, but also elegant. The white Christmas lights add a romantic charm to the scene.

She wore a short, white dress that she had got cheap at a second hand shop. It was tight laced, with short sleeves. She threw on sparkly white ballet flats and one of her mother's diamond necklaces. Her hair was pulled back into a tight bun and she looked perfect.

Jackson wasn't due home for almost another hour, so they all enjoyed cocktails while they waited. The environment was extremely relaxed since they were already married and the few guests that were there were friends of both hers and Scott's already. Also, brilliantly enough because it was Christmas, everyone was home for the holidays.

"Thanks for doing this." Erin smiled widely at her husband who was dressed in a light grey suit with a blue dress shirt beneath. He pulled her in for a kiss. "Of course. I get that your dad wanted to be at our wedding. Maybe he won't hate me now." Scott chuckled.

Erin bit her lip, she still felt bad. "I know. And I know it was my idea to elope, so I'm sorry that you've been getting the shaft from him lately."

He shrugged, "I know how you can make it up to me."

She played along, nodding and pulling him in for a few kisses. Her father walked in shortly after.

Jackson was home shortly after and everyone took their seats while he was walking in. "What is…?" He asked while looking around at everyone, completely baffled by all the people in his home. April led him upstairs toward their bedroom where she had laid out one of his more casual suits.

"Erin and Scott are having a small ceremony. Get dressed. You're in the wedding." She grinned, hoping he was pleased by their surprise. His face said otherwise.

"April…" Jackson sighed, rubbing his hand over his face and over the top of his shaved head. "You didn't have to do this." 

She felt differently. "I know we didn't have to. But we both wanted to. You deserve the chance to walk her down the aisle. And she wants it too. She's the one who asked me if I would throw this for her."

He analyzed her expression, deciding if she meant it all or not. When he pulled off his sweater to change into his suit, she squealed in excitement.

It took him little to no time to change and get downstairs. Their closest friends and family were talking amongst themselves, waiting for the bride. Scott was standing upfront, anxiously awaiting to see his bride again.

She met Jackson upstairs. "Hi Dad." 

It was the first time he really wanted to talk to her in months, even if that was terrible. He was just so hurt by her decision that he had nothing to say. "Erin…you look…so beautiful and grown up." He told her, taking in her bridal outfit.

She rolled her eyes, just like she always did. He loved it. "I know Dad, I'm not a little girl anymore." She laughed at him. He was being so sentimental about everything, it was unlike him.

She was surprised when he got real with her. "You'll always be my little girl. Do you understand me?"

Dress:

Product_short-lace-cap-sleeve-dress-with-exposed-zipper-231m28570_wedding-dresses-short-wedding-dresses


	18. All I Want for Christmas is a

**All I Want for Christmas is a Real Nice Tan – Kenny Chesney**

**Year 30**

**Rated M**

The sound of the ocean waves crashing and splashing all around them created the perfect atmosphere. The sun was shining all around them and the ocean water was a clear blue that allowed them to see the ocean floor. They'd never seen anything like it before. Even the smell of the beach was breathtaking.

Bora Bora wasn't the worst idea they'd ever had for Christmas.

"_None of the kids are coming home this year." April pouted to her husband, they were all going over to the in-laws and she wanted her family home for Christmas instead. Jackson wasn't thrilled about it either but he had other ideas. _

"_So let's go to the beach. Get a nice tan for Christmas." He waggled his eyebrows at his wife who was trying to judge whether he was serious or not. "You know I'll burn." She reminded him, motioning down toward her pale, white skin that burned near immediately in the sun._

_He paused, looking her up and down. They were older now and she was over sixty, but to be honest she didn't look that much different to him. A few more wrinkles and a few more gray hairs were mixed in with the red but it was still April. She was still just as active at work and kept herself in good shape just like she always had. Her body truly hadn't changed much over the years._

_Jackson was a different story. He was still fit and built like always, but he knew there were a few less abs showing and even thought he had a little bit of a belly. April tried to convince him he was the same but he knew he looked a little different. She never complained though. _

_Jackson smirked at her comment, "I'll just have to cover you with sunblock then, won't I?" _

"I can't believe we're here, look at this place Jackson!" His sweet wife gasped in awe as she took in their surroundings. They were on a secluded beach that might as well have been their own island. They even had their own hut to stay in on the water.

The sand was white and warm beneath her feet and the breeze provided just enough airflow to keep her at a comfortable temperature in the 85 degree sunshine.

He couldn't agree more. "It's paradise."

She nodded. "This is even better than when we went to Hawaii on our 10th anniversary." Because that was perfect, but this was Bora Bora. It was just different. The beach was different. The smell was different. All she could smell this time around was the salt of the Pacific Ocean. There wasn't a cloud in the sky, not even one.

She surprised him by pulling off her white v-neck t-shirt and capris to leave her only in a red bikini that looked perfect on her. When she first put it on way earlier that morning before getting on the plane she was nervous, not knowing if she should still be wearing a bikini at her age or not. But she remembered Arizona convincing her that she looked hotter than ever so she went with it. Clearly Jackson agreed. He pulled his shirt off and immediately followed her as she dashed into the crystal waters.

She dunked under the water and came back at waist level to find her husband right behind her.

Her wrapped his arms around her and took another look at the top of her bikini, giving her the once over. "How do you keep getting better looking and I keep getting more of this?" He asked her looking down at her body and then down at his own little gut that was forming. She giggled lightly, rubbing her hands up across his gut as if she was waiting for it to kick. "Hey, I like your food baby."

He exhaled loudly, rolling his eyes. He hated it when she called it that, but he also supposed that's what it was. Thanks to her and her cooking and feeding him constantly. "Cute, April."

Instead of continuing to pick on him, she reached behind her and unclasped her bikini top, only to peel it off and watch it float toward the shore. Then she stepped out of her bottoms and they did the same. He watched her strip down and then looked around to see if he saw anyone around at all. Luckily he didn't because his wife was already standing ass naked in his arms and waiting for him to do the same.

He stepped out of his swim trunks and pulled her into his arms, picking her up and lowering her onto him in a soft and familiar way. She groaned in a way she hadn't in a long time, Bora Bora was freeing to her. Clearly.

The sound she made when his hands rested on her bottom made him nearly bubble over with excitement. He rested his forehead against hers and gave her one of the eskimo kisses that she loved so much while she adapted to him being inside her.

With her legs wrapped tightly around her waist, she started moving herself up and down on top of him at a quicker pace. He still held her up easily, grasping her hips in his hands. They'd become a little fuller over the years, especially after birthing his children but he preferred them that way.

They took their time, kissing each other and just being together in a way they didn't seem to do as much of anymore. They had all the time in the world now. When she eventually clenched a little tighter around him he had to try to his hardest to hold on and let her finish first. The feeling she gave him when she took every last bit of him made it hard for him to hold on. But when she swiveled her hips gently around him and moaned at the sensation it gave her, he knew he had to speed it up.

He moved his hand down, rubbing her right where he knew she was the most sensitive and it pushed her over the edge. She shook in his arms while she tried to catch her breath and he did the same immediately after. He finished inside her before her brought her back down to her feet to stand on the ocean floor with him.

Instead of saying something sweet to her, he splashed her with water and she gasped. "Jackson!"

He raised his hands in the air, pretending to be oblivious to her. "What?"

"You splashed me!" She laughed, splashing him back with water. He flinched and looked a little shocked when she splashed him back. He didn't think she had it in her. After about five more minutes of splashing and dunking each other into the water they collected their swimsuits and found the hut they were staying in. It may not have been a normal Christmas, but they had each other and that was all they needed that year.


	19. New York City Christmas

**New York City Christmas – Rob Thomas**

**Year 32**

**A/N: First of all, I'd like to thank each and every one of you who have been reading this series. Thank you. I put a lot of time and effort into writing these stories so I'm glad they're being enjoyed. Secondly, I didn't mean to complain about lack of notes/reviews and come off as unappreciative. I don't care about that stuff much, but it is hard to know if you're stories are even being read when there is no sign of it. So if you are reading or have been, then I would really appreciate it if you dropped by on either tumblr or FF to let me know. Thanks and I hope you enjoy year 32!**

"New York City is absolutely beautiful during Christmastime." April looked around, smiling happily at the snow and the white lights that were covering the city. Everyone seemed happier, there was Christmas music playing through the speakers as her, Erin and Emily walked through the Manhattan shops. Their Christmas shopping was done but now they were just spending some girl time together. Even the kids were at home.

"It is. Even after living here most of my life, I still can't get over it. I love the city." Emily sang as she prodded through the snow with her family. They each had a couple of bags in their hands and everything tonight was on April and Jackson. She wanted to take the girls shopping while the boys stayed home with the kids for the afternoon.

They entered a small boutique that smelled like sugar cookies and had a lot of jewelry. While April and Erin were looking at necklaces, Emily spotted a white scarf that had a collection of colorful painted birds on it and she had to buy it for her mother-in-law. Her and Graycin had already finished their Christmas shopping but the scarf had her name all over it. So she waited until they left but ran back in by herself quickly and purchased the scarf. It was pricy, but worth it.

"So do you miss the city?" Erin asked Emily eventually, they were waiting to get some hot cocoa from a street vendor. She shrugged. "I did, at first. But the truth it is home doesn't feel like where I'm from anymore, home is wherever Graycin, Isabelle and Gracie are."

April nodded. Emily was the perfect mother. She didn't agree at first that Emily decided to be a stay at home mom, just because she was traditional but not in the sense that women should be giving up their careers for their kids. But when she did it anyway and gave them two perfect lovely little girls as granddaughters, she had to admit they were doing a great job.

After strolling down a few more blocks of stores, they met the boys and kids for dinner downtown. There was no way April could cook such a large dinner for so many people in suite. It had a kitchen but almost no supplies. So they went out. They all took their seats around the table and talked about their day while the drinks were being poured and food brought out.

When the food came, everyone held hands. Jackson led the prayer. He'd gotten pretty good at it over the years and at some point he even started meaning it. His faith grew over the years that he'd been with April and now his relationship with God was real. It blossomed especially after sitting in the same pew, week after week and answering questions when his kids were little. When he saw them sing at church or picked them up from vacation bible school and saw the grace they lived with, he knew He was the reason.

_Dear Heavenly Father,_

_For each new morning,_

_With its light_

_For rest and shelter of the night,_

_For health and food_

_For love and friends,_

_For everything that goodness sends_

_We thank you_

_Amen_

There was a collective murmur of 'Amen' said around the table by kids and adults. April rubbed her hand gently along his leg, reassuring him of their faith and their love and everything in between.

The rest of the dinner went by perfectly and they were home before 9. The tradition stood and everyone got to open up new pajamas that night to wear over Christmas, until they went to the shelter.

Christmas morning was easy and fun. Having small kids around again was wonderful and most of the gifts under the tree were for them. Isabelle was six, Gracie was three and they were close to welcoming a little boy, most likely their last. Erin and Scott had decided that they weren't going to have kids of their own, but might adopt later in life if they decided to and Colin and Rachel were still enjoying the newlywed wife and traveling all over the world doing this and that. April loved her scarf and insisted on wearing it with her outfit that day.

"Uncle Luke is still meeting us at Holy Apostle's, right?" Colin asked his parents from behind them as they waited outside for cabs. It was still early, just after nine am. This year the Avery's were helping at Holy Apostle's Soup Kitchen. They had paid for the entire dinner and were able to feed 500+ people that day for dinner. On top of the monetary contribution, their entire immediate family was going to be working to prepare and serve the meal all day.

They weren't the kind of people who do those things only on major events and holidays, they frequently helped with both Holy Apostle and another smaller soup kitchen back in Seattle. It was the best way to humble their family, because they were truly blessed. Not just in love and faith, but in wealth, health and happiness. This gave them compassion and humility.

"Uncle Luke is meeting us there and it sounded like he's bringing someone too." Jackson waggled his eyebrows at Colin who had formed a close relationship the Luke. They had a lot in common and Colin was so young when Luke came into their lives that he just thought of him as an uncle.

"Dad, I told you he's been seeing a woman named Belinda, remember?. I met up with them when we were both in Philly a couple weeks ago for a convention." He reminded him and April turned around from her spot next to her husband. "Luke is dating someone?"

Her eyes were wide and she was obviously surprised. She thought maybe her brother would be a bachelor forever since he had no relationship that any of them had ever heard of or saw before.

"She's great too. Teaches kindergarten in Ithaca and she's a huge Knicks fan. They work." He laughed, assuring his mom that she was great.

"Knicks fan? Ewww…" Jackson groaned, being a Celtics fan made him a little weary but he was willing to potentially overlook that flaw in her personality. April playfully tapped his arm to signal that he wasn't being funny.

Luckily for them before that argument could go any further they arrived at the soup kitchen. Colin had a bit more experience with this kind of thing so he took over and started helping others organize while everyone else went to their places. The Christmas dinner was coming along nicely and a long line was forming just outside the building.

April abandoned her post with Jackson mashing potatoes to help hand out hot chocolate to all of the people waiting outside. She got compliment after compliment on her scarf when really she wanted to thank everyone else for their Christmas spirit, even when they didn't seem to have a whole lot of reasons to be thankful.

April's scarf: ** listing/128478301/cute-beige-little-bird-scarf-colorful?ref=hp_mod_rf**

***The prayer was actually part of a Ralph Waldo Emerson quote that I used. Due credit***


	20. What Are You Doing New Years Eve?

**What Are You Doing New Years Eve? – Idina Menzel**

**Year 35**

**A/N: I'm incredibly proud of this update today. I put a lot of effort in to it and I would really, really like to hear your feedback. Thanks for reading!**

"_I'm just going to lay down for a few minutes Jackson." April whispered, holding her stomach tightly. The chemotherapy was starting to affect her less than a half hour after making it home from Grey Sloan Cancer Treatment Center. Her body turned on her when three months ago she was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. _

"_Do you need anything? Are you hungry?" Jackson asked her quickly, trying to do anything he could to help alleviate some of her pain and discomfort. _

_She shook him off because she felt anything but hungry. She was almost violently ill feeling and needed to lay down. _

_He waited for her to walk into their bedroom, which was now easier to do because they moved to one of the downstairs bedrooms. She was just sitting on the edge of the bed, head in the trash bin while she waited to toss up the contents of her stomach. _

_Eventually she was able to empty her stomach and take a few sips of the water Jackson brought her. He sat next to her on the bed, rubbing her back. Her hair was still red, but a darker shade. She was still convinced she was too young to be gray so she insisted on covering it up. He tucked what was stray behind her ear. _

_When she stood up, he handed her pajamas to her and helped her strip out of her hospital outfit and pull on her favorite set of matching pink floral pajamas. _

"_I'll just be in the living room if you need me." He forced a smile and told her kindly, then he placed a soft kiss on her forehead. "Me and you." _

"_I'm going to beat this you know." She surprised him, pulling his hands into hers while he pulled the blankets up around her. The way she promised him was surprising. She had complete faith that the cancer was only temporary. "I'm a soldier."_

April hung up her phone carefully and set it on the kitchen counter. Jackson was sitting at the kitchen table drinking coffee, eating breakfast and doing a crossword puzzle. It was his pre-church Sunday morning routine. "The cancer's gone!"

The newspaper he was doing the crossword from fell to the table, landing on top of the plate of waffles his wife made for him. Syrup soaked through the paper, effectively ruining his last thirty minutes of work.

"What?" He asked her again, he wasn't sure if he heard her right. His hearing was getting a little bad and she spent most of her time yelling into his 'good ear'.

"The cancer's gone!" She said again, a little slower and a little louder this time.

He stood up and pulled her into a tight hug, planting a soft kiss on her lips. When they pulled away, she saw the tears in his eyes. "What's wrong? We're supposed to be happy. I told you I could beat it." She told him, rubbing the palm of her hand against the side of his face.

She figured he must have been a wreck the past three months. Everything was about her and she couldn't remember the last time she had asked him how he was doing with all of this. If the situation was reversed she would have been an absolute disaster.

Jackson nodded his head, agreeing with her but still speechless. A smile was spreading over his face and he was grinning. Bliss looked good on him.

"You did." He agreed with her. He learned a long time ago that there was no reason to doubt his wife because she was always right.

"We have to call the kids." They decided, both picking up their cell phones.

A month later all three kids and their families were home for Christmas but April and Jackson didn't know there was another reason. Arizona and Amelia called them all and told them about a surprise party they were throwing for April for beating breast cancer and they were thrilled about the idea. They knew their mom liked a good surprise now and then and she deserved this one.

Arizona had an elaborate plan that got April and Jackson to Joe's bar, their old hang out across from the hospital. She was shocked to see all of her closest friends. Some that she still worked with, mostly while teaching at the hospital and some that she hadn't seen for years. Meredith was there with Derek, though Zola and Bailey were married and both living internationally coincidentally. Jo and Alex were there with their kids, all of which the two families remained quite close with over the year. Owen and Amy were there, two of their best friends. Maggie and her husband Tim and even Ben and Bailey. The list went on and on.

Everything was going well, food was served and they even had a cake. The kicker was in the surprise at the end. Erin walked up to the stage to grab the mic.

"Hi everyone!" She greets them, waiting for the crowd to notice her presence and quiet down. "I'm Erin Avery-Olsen and I want to thank you for coming tonight."

She looked out into the faces of the people in the crowd and her heart was warmed. "As you all know, we're here tonight because my mother, Dr. April Avery beat the dirty, rotten breast cancer that tried to take her down!" She ended up yelling into the mic, roweling up the crowd and leading them to hoots and hollers.

"And first of all I'd like to thank her best friends and my favorite aunts, Dr. Arizona Robbins, Dr. Amy Hunt and Dr. Maggie Pilsen."

"Second, I'd like to thank everyone else as well who helped make this. We love you all very much."

With that, she turned on the projector that they helped her set up beforehand. Life Ain't Always Beautiful by Gary Allan started playing quietly in the background and her Uncle Luke came onto the screen first. The project was a documentary style montage of everyone who had ever been important to April.

"April is the best sister I could ever ask for. Even though I didn't know her until we were both adults, I feel like I've been a part of her family forever. I always knew she was a strong woman, but her strength the past three months has been remarkable. I'm grateful to have you in my life, sister."

Cristina Yang came onto the screen next. She was still in Switzerland and the two actually kept in fairly-close contact. Cristina and Meredith were still each other's person, thirty plus years later and April saw her frequently either via FaceTime or when she visited the states. They had all matured a lot since their time together at Grey Sloan as residents.

"April Kepner. My friend Mary," She grinned, causing April's cheeks to get bright red even to this day and Jackson to look down at his wife and laugh.

"Where do I start? We did our residency together at Seattle Grace way back in the early 2000's where I was practically running the program. I was chasing away attendings like no one's business, they had nothing left to teach me." She gloated, still the same Cristina Yang as always.

"But when Kepner beat me out for Chief Resident, I knew she was going to go far and maybe even be able to teach me a thing or two…And I was right. And when her and pretty boy got married, I knew she was going to be unstoppable." Cristina teased at the end but April's heart fluttered at her message.

There were a few messages that came next from her sisters Alice and Kimmie, Libby passed away a few years ago after having some complications during heart surgery.

Alex Karev came on the screen next and she looked over to see him standing with his wife Jo of over 30 years looking as happy as could be. "April Kepner was an acquired taste to me, you know, like coffee or…Peds." He joked with everyone, almost everyone getting his joke and laughing. Especially Arizona.

"But once I understood her, she's hard not to like. She's the best trauma surgeon I've ever known, maybe a little on the crazy side." He faked like he was looking around the room for Hunt, their old chief, and got more giggles. Alex Karev was a charmer in his old age.

"When I think about April Kepner, I think about the day her, Avery and I were doing trauma certifications. And as you can tell, Avery and I didn't do very well. It was pouring rain and April Kepner had finally lost it. We stole an ambulance, drove it 10 feet down the parking lot of Seattle Grace and saved a bunch of dummy lives, although according to Chief Hunt, that's debatable. That day, I knew she was someone I was going to have to keep up with for the rest of my tenure in Seattle."

April was sniffling and trying to hold herself together. No one had ever said such nice things about her, no one other than Jackson at least. Alex walked over to her and gave her the biggest bear hug he could muster. If Jackson didn't see it with his own eyes, he wouldn't believe it.

The videos went on and on. Each of her kids had something sweet to say mostly all about how they knew she would beat the cancer and they weren't even surprised a little bit.

Jackson was the last to come on the screen.

"April Avery, my sweet wife. The best doctor I know, the best teacher I've ever seen. You're an amazing mother to our children and grandmother to our grandbabies. When I thought that I might lose you, I couldn't fathom the thought of living every day of the rest of my life without you. You're my other half, you keep me sane and you give me a reason to wake up in the morning. I can only pray that God takes me right before he takes you, just so I never have to be without you, not even for a day."

After that message from her husband, she took a couple of moments to collect herself. There wasn't much to say to that, but April still got up to speak. She thanked everyone for coming out and for helping her the past couple of months. Then she thanked them for their kind words. What she said next was off the top of her head, which proves that she was someone special. "There's an old quote, by…Haruki Murakami that I've kept with me through most of my life. It applies to so many things and I'd like to share it with you all today. "Once the storm is over, you won't remember how you made it through, how you managed to survive. You won't even be sure, whether the storm is really over. But one thing is certain. When you come out of the storm, you won't be the same person who walked in. That's what this storm's all about."


	21. River

**River – Joni Mitchell**

**Year 37**

**A/N: Sorry to be posting so late. I haven't been home all day and am just now getting a chance. I hope you enjoy this chapter and I'm sad to say this series is wrapping up **

"_It's a drug that essentially triggers the mitochondria to kill cancer cells." Erin explained to her father over the phone because he too had dabbled in research before, earlier in this career. Her mother was mostly hands on and teaching. _

_He asked her how it worked exactly, wanting a step by step analysis of the drug interactions. She'd been working on it for years but they knew little about what it was for or how far along in the project she was._

"_And it works Dad. It actually kills cancer cells. I'm going to be published and everything." _

_He couldn't believe how smart she was. All of his kids were smart, but she cured cancer. He had to admit she was one-upping the others. _

"_Erin, how did you ever become so smart?" He asked her lovingly, just like he would ask her when she was a little girl. When she giggled he thought for a minute that she was a little girl again._

"_Dad," she laughed, "You know I got it from Mom." _

_Jackson chuckled. This wasn't exactly the first time they had this conversation and she joked that she got all of her smarts from her Mother. But Jackson knew that was absolutely correct. _

"_Funny. Are you coming home for Christmas this year or are you too important now?" He teased again, rubbing the back of his head at the thought of telling April their daughter and her family wouldn't be home for Christmas again this year. If they weren't, Erin was going to have to tell her. _

"_Home." She told him, happy that she wouldn't have to go to Scott's family's home for Christmas. They were so boring and it never felt like home to her. The kids preferred her parents too. _

_He was happy. "Here's your Mom."_

Less than a week later, all of their kids were home. Graycin and family, Erin and family and Colin and Rachel and their dog Dolly.

There were kids running around the house, the sound of pitter-pattering on the floor was strangely new to them again. All of the months between having grandkids in the house were taxing and quiet because most of the time Jackson and April were the ones who did the visiting. They retired earlier in the year and now spent most of their time visiting their kids and traveling the world. They were checking things off their bucket list every day.

After they sat down to Christmas dinner, they decided to break the news to their kids. "Your father and I have some news to share." April smiled pleasantly, taking a hold of Jackson's hand.

He nodded. "We're selling the house."

There was an awkward silence in the air and they started to get nervous. None of the kids were saying anything. "How could you sell the house? We grew up here." Colin mumbled angrily, getting up from the table and walking out into the garage. Rachel jumped up and followed him to make sure he was okay.

"Dad, this has been home my entire life. Why do you want to sell it?" Erin questioned, she was a little more patient than her brothers these days.

April cut in. "We don't want to, but it's too big for just us. We don't have the want or the energy to keep up with it. Keeping up with the lawn is too much for your father and I don't want to spend half my time cleaning anymore. With a condo we won't have to."

Jackson felt terrible and April did too for that matter. They didn't want to sell the house, it just wasn't for them anymore. "Sweetie, it's time another family got to make memories in this house. We don't need it anymore."

She understood, but she didn't have to like it. When they were talking, Graycin and Emily were having a secret conversation. They weren't talking, but April noticed that they were communicating. It was something that her and Jackson had been able to do forever, they just knew each other. Graycin cut in.

"Emily and I want to buy the house. We haven't told you yet, but we did decide to move here so that I could fill the vacant board spot at Grey Sloan."

April's mouth dropped and she looked back and forth between Jackson and Graycin. "Are you…are you sure?"

Emily spoke up, "Absolutely. If you're okay with it. This is the perfect home to raise our family in. If we're going to be in Seattle then there is no other home I'd rather be in. This feels like home to me too."

Erin was happy too, she knew her and Scott would likely never return to Seattle. There just didn't feel like there was anything for them there. Rachel and Colin probably wouldn't either, they were more nomadic than the others.

Speaking of Colin and Rachel, they came back into the kitchen and they were caught up by Erin about the house. Colin seemed to be okay with Graycin and Emily taking the house because he knew they'd take care of it.

"While we're sharing news," Erin smiled and paused. April immediately thought she was pregnant but the news wasn't like that at all. I got a call this morning. I've been… nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize." She told them, it was all unreal to her. She had barely had time to digest it all herself.

Jackson started choking on his red wine and April got up immediately, getting him a glass of water and rubbing his back. Eventually he caught his breath and looked back up at his daughter.

"Are you serious?" He asked her. The rest of the kids extended congratulations toward her and were beaming. She shook her head, it was all true.

"I mean, who knows if I'll actually win."

April had to correct her. "Oh honey, after what you did. It would be an outrage if you didn't win. You have made the biggest discovery in medical history."


	22. Old Time Christmas

**Old Time Christmas – Randy Travis**

**Year 40**

"I disagree. Geneva was the best Christmas." Graycin argued with Erin, just like when they were kids. He thought about how the year and a half that they spent together in Switzerland was the best Christmas he could remember. They went skiing and touring the rest of Europe on holiday while they were there, every chance they got. "Pre-Colin." Graycin teased, looking at his younger brother. He didn't remember _that_ much of it if he were to be honest, but he still liked to play the big brother card.

Erin disagreed completely, "I loved Geneva too, as well as the pre-Colin era, but you can't forget about the year Mom and Grandma Catherine got into it over Mom's overindulgence that year on wine. Remember?!" She chuckled, looking over at her mother who wasn't impressed by the turn in conversation.

April didn't look pleased. She remembered the year. Catherine had called her out on getting a little too tipsy while cooking Christmas dinner and Jackson didn't exactly come to her rescue. "Oh you kids were adults by that time, I didn't have to be completely sober."

That got her a look from Jackson. "But maybe you could have stayed even a little sober." He laughed, making fun of her just a little bit. She grinned and winked, "You know what wine does to me."

All of the kids' faces scrunched up in disgust at the look she had on her face when she said that. Jackson's face did the same as hers. "I certainly do sweetheart." And when he looked over at Colin, they all laughed. Everyone except Colin who made gagging noises, even though he was married with a two year old child and one on the way, so he clearly knew how _the dirty_ was done.

Colin tried to change the subject, mostly because he wasn't around yet for Geneva. Though he was conceived there so it might have counted. "Or how about the year Dad got Mom that 'cool new vacuum that does basically everything' for Christmas?"

Rachel and Emily hadn't seemed to have heard the story but it felt like they'd made fun of him a million times for it. Scott didn't have to ask, Erin warned him right away that if he ever bought her a vacuum cleaner for Christmas then they would probably be divorcing. "You bought her a vacuum for Christmas?!" Both of the women asked their father-in-law, mildly amused at the image.

He nodded, not wanting to go back to that day. "The entire day was horrible. April didn't talk to me and I had to sleep on the couch. I don't even remember getting Christmas dinner." He rolled his eyes, he genuinely thought she would like the gift. It was the only time in their marriage he'd been that off-base. He was mostly a wonderful gift-giver.

All three of their kids laughed. "We got dinner Dad…"

He grumbled. "Oh that's right. I was the only one eating leftover lasagna from the night before after that."

After Colin's distraction with the vacuum cleaner story, they went back to their time in Geneva. "You kids were young, but do you remember that at all? Being in Switzerland?" They did.

"Of course. I remember Mom working all of the while we got to exploring." Erin grinned, thinking about the year that her Dad stayed home while her Mom did the working thing. It was untraditional and when she thought back on it, it surprised her that it happened at all. Her family was more traditional than not.

"Yep. And your mother implemented their trauma certification program." He turned his head to take a peek at his wife who was sitting next to him on the sofa. "Amazing."

She brushed it off. "I couldn't have done it without you."

They held hands, like usual. It was rare than they didn't show affection, especially in their older age. The kids all joked but they enjoyed seeing how close their parents were. It gave them hope and reassurance in their own marriages too.

After forty years of marriage, not much had changed. They looked different, they had aged. April's hair was gray from top to bottom and Jackson's hair grew in slightly gray until he buzzed it off again. Their wrinkles were prominent and they moved slower. April frequently wore Grandma sweaters that she got from the kids for Christmas and Jackson got caught waking himself up while snoring on the couch more than once. It was getting harder and harder for him to make it through a Celtics or Red Sox game.

Their wedding bands were the same one's that they'd had since they were originally married, but they wore them differently. At least they looked differently. Both of their hands and knuckles were slightly swollen from arthritis and were entirely fragile, at least compared to them pre-retirement. April still wore the rock of an engagement ring Jackson gave her shortly after they got married and Jackson rarely took off his platinum band.

So much was different but their conversations were still new. After forty years they had yet to run out of things to talk about. Sometimes they fought, but it was rare. It was more common for them to bicker about the volume of the tv or the amount of money Jackson spent spoiling the grandkids. Jackson had chosen to believe in God somewhere along the way and had an immeasurable amount of faith. But that didn't stop their science vs. medicine arguments or their cochlear implant disagreements. The fact that they were so different constantly brought them closer together.

"I'm going to check on the kids," Emily interrupted, jumping up to make sure their babies were all asleep. Graycin and Emily's kids were staying the night at Grandma and Grandpa's while they got the night off. The others had flights to catch early in the morning.

A few seconds later Emily came running back into the living room for her cell phone. "You guys have got to see this." She motioned for them to follow her into the kids' bedroom. At first they thought something was wrong, but they were completely wrong.

Graycin and Emily's girls Isabelle and Gracie had crawled into the same bed as Colin and Rachel's two year old son Mason. They were cuddled up together and the two huge Golden Retrievers Jackson and April had for years, Dolly and Happy were cuddled up against them tightly at the end of the full-sized bed. It was the most adorable thing they had ever seen.

They all pulled their phones out to snap a few pictures of the sight. It was a moment they didn't' want to ever forget.

**Sorry I'm late to post again today. There are three more updates left, I'm going to try not to be sad for this to end lol **


	23. Winter Moon

**Winter Moon – Mindy Gledhill**

**Year 50**

Their Sunday morning routine had been the same since they were newlyweds. Wake up, mess around, shower, church and then get waffles at Sunday morning breakfast. Jackson remembered the first time he ordered something other than waffles at Sunday breakfast. April nearly had a coronary. They liked it this way because it was easy and it was familiar.

"_Good morning! I'm Amy and I'll be taking care of you today. Can I bring you something to drink?" She asked the family kindly which at that point consisted of Jackson, April, Graycin and Emily, Erin and Scott and bun in Emily's oven. _

"_I'll have coffee, black please." April ordered. _

"_Same please." Jackson ordered since he was next in line around the table. _

_The rest of the kids ordered a mixture between coffee, tea and an orange juice for Colin. It was normal. _

_The strange part was when she came back around with the drinks taking the food order. April ordered waffles and so did all of the kids, except for Colin who ordered french toast. He was always the oddball of the family. One of those kids that refused to eat a hamburger with anything other than ketchup and liked his cereal dry. It was just always hard to feed him. But even he stuck with the same Sunday morning order for all of those years. _

"_Oh Sir, I missed your order. What can I get for you?" The bubbly blonde waitress asked, checking her note pad. She skipped him._

"_I'll have eggs, hash browns, bacon and whole wheat toast please." He ordered, gaining stares from the rest of the family._

_The waitress didn't notice for obvious reasons, even though she had served them so many times before. "How would you like your eggs cooked?" _

"_Sunny side up please. Thank you." He told her, reaching for his coffee to take another sip as if nothing was wrong. The waitress walked away to put their order in the computer and his family stared at him, baffled. _

"_Jackson, we order waffles on Sunday." April finally told him, reminding him as if maybe somehow after 27 years of marriage (at that point) he had forgotten that he'd eaten at least 1,431 plates of waffles. _

_He laughed, suddenly trying to defend himself against waffles. "I know babe, but I wasn't feeling waffles today. I'll get waffles next week."_

_She looked around at all the kids to see if she was the crazy one, they all looked just as confused as her though. "But you love waffles Dad." Erin reminded him, looking back at her mother for reassurance._

"_I do love waffles. But I also love bacon and your mother will never cook bacon because *it's bad for you* _he mocks in a teasing voice_ so I ordered it here. Because I can."_

_It didn't end there though. The rest of the breakfast was silent while Jackson flipped through the Sunday morning paper and ate his eggs and toast. The kids and April all pushed their food around on their plate, checking to see if he was still enjoying his breakfast. He was. That was the oddest part of all. _

Over the years things had changed a bit though. Neither one of them had as much of an appetite anymore, at least not as much as they used to. So to compensate they got one order of waffles with a side of bacon and two cups of decaf coffee. It worked for them.

They went to the same restaurant for fifty years, _Bread and Butter_. They sat in the same booth, they had the same servers and they ordered the same thing. The only thing that ever changed were the seasons and the date. Every Sunday when they came in they were dressed to the nines for church, looking their absolute best. They spent most of the breakfast talking, while Jackson flicked through the Sunday paper and April read the sales ads. When they were done she took the paper and he worked on the crossword until their food came.

All of the servers loved them. They were sweet, generous and kind. None of them had ever gotten anything but kindness from the couple. Actually they all inspired to be the couple.

The pair walked into the restaurant, hand in hand to find their normal booth. Church got over about an hour ago and they spent just enough time socializing afterward to be read for waffles and bacon. Wendy, one of their favorite servers opened the restaurant doors as she saw them pull up. Jackson shut the engine off and slowly got out of their midsized car. He walked around and opened the car door for his wife, helping her up with his hand and shutting her door behind her.

"Good morning!" She greeted them with her best smile, one she didn't even have to force because they were the customers she was generally happy to see once a week.

"Good morning Wendy," April greeted and Jackson smiled while they were ushered to their table. "How are you? How's the little boy?" April asked her, catching up on the events over the past couple of weeks. They hadn't seen Wendy for a while since they were in New York visiting Erin and Scott.

"He's good. Just a walking all over, I don't think that boy can sit still for a minute. How's the family out east?"

Jackson cut in. "Oh I remember our boys, they were a handful. Weren't they sweetheart?"

She agreed, "Oh yes, absolutely. Little boys are trouble from day one," She winked, smiling up at her favorite server and looking back at her husband's grinning face. Those were the days. They were enjoying retirement and growing old together, just like they knew they would. It didn't mean they didn't enjoy thinking back to a house full of little children. The sounds of a home filled with laughing children playing and crying, and their arguments and making up and everything in between was one of the best sounds they'd ever heard.


	24. Silent Night

**Silent Night – Sara Ramirez**

**Year 61**

_The Avery's got together for their near annual Christmas picture. Jackson and April sat together on a small bench in front of a snowy backdrop while they patiently waited for the rest of their family to get into place. The family was a lot larger than it was over sixty years ago when it was just Jackson and April waiting on their first little bundle of joy. _

_Graycin and his wife Emily were the first to arrive at his parents' house to get ready for pictures. They didn't live far, just down the street actually. They were still in the large family home that they bought from his parents nearly thirty years ago and they were even thinking about selling it themselves at this point to move into something smaller. Their girls Isabelle and Gracie were full grown now. Isabelle was an OBGYN and she was living in LA with her husband who was also an OBGYN, whom she met in med school. They had the crazy two year old twins, Ethan and Emma and were expecting another baby boy in two months. _

_Erin and Scott were divorced, there was rumored to be a vacuum involved in that decision but no one knew the full story. She wasn't alone though, Erin was actually married to Alex Karev's son Tommy, who went by Tom. They had somehow reconnected at a medical conference in Germany about five years ago. Tom had two grown kids from his previous marriage that Erin had already grown to love. _

_Colin and Rachel were still happily married. They had a twenty something year old son Mason, two more teenage boys and a five year old surprise. _

_Slowly the crew was starting to accumulate. There were so many of them that the photographer was struggling to get them all in the frame. "Can you squeeze together a little tighter?" He asked a couple different Avery's on both sides of Jackson and April. Most of the kids were standing and the great grandkids were all on their butts. _

"_Do you want me to just sit down with the kids?" Erin joked after the photographer had moved her several times, motioning to her nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews sitting on the ground. The photographer surprised her by agreeing so Erin and Tom plopped down on the ground to bookend the kids._

"_Jackson and April, how are you two doing?" The photographer asked, making sure the two founders of the family were happy. They were._

"_Oh we're fine. Don't you worry about us two." April assured him, motioning for him to continue about his business while Jackson adjusted his bowtie. _

_April took over. "Here, let me fix it." She slowly leaned over to her husband and pulled at both corners of the tie until it was evenly settled. It looked good. All of the men had opted for bowties that year instead of regular suit ties. Two years ago the family wore all green and red tops._

"_Is everyone ready?" He asked, looking around at the family. They all stopped their small side conversations to get ready for business. The little ones weren't even crying this year._

"_Okay, good. Now I'll take a bunch of family photos and afterward we'll take individual photos. In a week or so you'll be able to decide which ones you like best."_

_They seemed happy with that so he started snapping pictures. He made a few arrangements here and there to make sure they got a few that they would really like. _

_The family finished their day at Graycin and Emily's with dinner and conversation. Grace pulled her Grandma April aside to ask her a few things. "What's wrong dear?" April asked her sounding full of concern, it wasn't often she got the chance to only speak to Gracie. _

_She shook her head quickly to shake off concern. "Oh nothing Grandma. Actually, I was wondering if you would write down that recipe for me. Your mother's sugar cookie recipe? I'd love to give them a try and it's Christmas." _

_Grace knew the recipe was top secret. April shared almost all of her family recipes with her kids and grandkids but that recipe she was always hesitant to give out because her mother kept it so deeply under wraps. April studied her granddaughter, deciding if now was the time to share the recipe. She smiled. "Find me a pencil and paper and I'll write it down for you." She grinned, kissing her granddaughter on the cheek. _

_April walked over to the kitchen table and settled in while she waited for her to find something to write it down with. The rest of the family was wrapped up in talking to Erin about one of her awards. _

"_Here you go, Grandma." _

_April carefully wrote down the recipe. Her handwriting wasn't great, she was a physician after all. So she took the time to make it legible. _

_Cookies:_

_4½ cups all-purpose flour__  
><em>_¾ teaspoon baking powder__  
><em>_¾ teaspoon baking soda__  
><em>_¼ teaspoon salt__  
><em>_¾ cup unsalted butter__  
><em>_1⅔ cups granulated sugar__  
><em>_2 eggs__  
><em>_1 cup sour cream__  
><em>_1½ teaspoons vanilla_

_Frosting:_

_1 cup butter__  
><em>_1 teaspoon vanilla__  
><em>_3 cups powdered sugar__  
><em>_1-2 tablespoons milk_

_**1.**__Line baking sheet with parchment paper and preheat oven to 350 degrees.__  
><em>_**2.**__ W__hisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.__  
><em>_**3.**__Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.__  
><em>_**4.**__Add eggs one at a time, mixing until combined. Add sour cream and vanilla and mix until combined.__  
><em>_**5.**__Slowly add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined.__  
><em>_**6.**__Scoop dough onto prepared baking sheet and bake for 10–12 minutes.__  
><em>_**7.**__Cool completely and decorate with frosting and sprinkles.__  
><em>_**8.**__For frosting: Beat butter and vanilla using a mixer until creamy and smooth. Gradually add powdered sugar mixing until combined. Add milk and continue mix until combined. Tint icing and mix thoroughly. Decorate tops of cookies with frosting and sprinkles._

_**9.**__Bake with love, pass out with kindness._

_At the end of the recipe, April wrote a little extra message:_

_**Love, Grandma April. 12-25-2074**_

_April and Jackson were the first ones to leave, it was after nine pm and they were ready for bed. Emily and Erin made sure they had all of their belongings and gifts and Graycin got ready to drive them home. Everyone got a hug goodbye and a kiss. Jackson promised the grandkids that he would finish telling them the story about their Grandma sneaking patients into a closed ER and nearly getting them all fired later since that was when she came back from talking to Grace. _

"Jackson, we need to get up and get ready for church." April moaned quietly. Just sleeping had made her sore, but that was life at ninety one. Every day was a blessing to them at this point.

"Jackson… wake up." She told her husband again when she finally sat up herself. Once she noticed the thick cloud of silence in the room she turned to look over at her quiet husband. The kids were all meeting them for church while they were in town so they needed to get moving.

"Jackson?" April called for him again, her voice getting quieter.

Only fractions of a second went by before she called out for him again. "Jackson? Honey?"

Her eyes filled tears and she looked up at Heaven and back down to her husband. Her medical instincts kicked in and she tried to find his pulse. Her hands and nerves weren't exactly cooperating though. She shook him softly, calling his name over and over like she would be able to gain his attention. He didn't budge. She called it again like she would be able to bring him back.

"Jackson, wake up!" She cried, cradling her hand in his while she began to pray. Both his hand and hers were wet from the tears that fell down from her wrinkled cheeks.

Whether seconds went by in that moment or hours, she didn't know. But she knew she had to call an ambulance.

**A/N: So sorry for not posting this yesterday! I should have put it on the cloud since I wasn't going to be home all day yesterday or today. **

**And I'm terribly sorry about Jackson. I didn't know how to even go about writing this, so I hope that I did him justice. He was 91 when he died in this story and I hope that it was relayed that he lived a long and beautifully happy life. **

**I'm also going to post Day 25 of the story tonight. I'll probably leave this story up for about an hour before I post the next one. **

**I ask that you please, please, please leave me so reviews/notes/comments/questions on the ending of this series and/or the series overall after you're finished reading. I've put so much work into these that it would mean a lot to get your opinion on how it turned out. **

**Again, thank you very much for sticking with me and my story. **

**I hope you all have a Merry Christmas and a glorious New Year. **

**-Lindsay**


	25. Snowy

**Snowy – Josh Rouse**

**Year 61**

_Everyone settled back into their routines after the longest two weeks of their lives. Jackson Avery, their husband, their father, their grandfather had died. In his sleep. On Christmas night. A dark cloud hung over their family. There were so many conversations that they left unfinished and stories that were left untold._

_The funeral was a Thursday morning at the church they'd gone to for over sixty years. Every pew in the church was full which was surprising because at that age you've seen more people die than you can remember meeting. _

_The air was frigidly cold and eerily quiet. There was no snow by the ground just looked hard. The sea of black in the church was morose at best. The service went by quickly, too quick for such a long life in fact. All three of his kids had requested to speak and even a few close friends. _

_April looked around at the crowd. Most of their friends from the glory days at Seattle Grace were already gone. Meredith Grey and Derek Shepherd died years ago and so did Owen Hunt. Amelia was still around but she lived with one of their daughters in southern California. Arizona passed away a couple of years ago after a battle with pneumonia. They hadn't seen Callie for years after she got remarried and moved to Florida to be near her parents. Jo died almost twenty years ago after losing a battle with cancer. Alex Karev sat with their kids and April up front. He held her hand through the service, until she got up to speak._

_She didn't say much. "Jackson Avery was my best friend, my lover, my husband and I'll miss him every day for the rest of my life. There's a Maya Angelou poem that I'd like to share."_

_April didn't pull out a piece of paper, but instead looked back at her husband. _

_In all the world there is no heart for me like yours._

_In all the world there is no love for you like mine. _

_Me and you_

_The wake afterward was somehow easy. They gathered at Graycin's for food and coffee. The mood was dark but people were there to celebrate his life and not mourn his death. They knew that was what he would have wanted. _

_One of Colin's boys put together a slideshow to play in the living room. It had pictures of every kind on it. Wedding pictures, birthday and anniversary pictures. He added pictures from the first time Jackson and April bought a house together and Jackson and April holding each of their three kids for the very first time in the hospital. _

_The crowd would laugh every time a picture of Jackson playing dress up with a little Erin popped up, he had lipstick on and was sipping "tea" while she painted his nails a bright pink. It was one of her favorite memories of her dad. _

_A picture of Jackson putting on new Jordan's popped up and the look on his face was priceless. He'd collected the sneakers for years and it had been a running joke. He loved them dearly._

_The slideshow rolled around to an angry and very pregnant April refusing to turn around and look at Jackson. No one including April could remember what she was mad about at the time but the picture was taken by Alex during a board meeting in Boston one year. They remembered that much. She looked about ten months pregnant and Jackson had a shit eating grin on his face. _

_Gradually throughout the slideshow the pictures showed their age more and more. There were pictures from Europe and their trips to Africa, Australia and South America. Their year in the Peace Corps together in Honduras and when they got to see their grandchildren for the first time. _

_The best picture was one that had Jackson and Emily in it. It was him and her at Graycin and her vow renewal one year. Her parents had never been present in her life, she was basically on her own from fifteen. Jackson offered to walk her down the aisle. She was forty years old him the picture but she still looked like a little girl. She was wearing a light colored dress and wiping her tears as Jackson hugged her tightly. She was a daughter to him from day one. _

_A few days later and the family was gone. They started dwindling off day by day, having to get back to work and back to their normal routines after being home for Christmas for so long. _

_Emily stayed with April for a while at the house since she was retired and Graycin was going to go into the hospital in the morning. "How are you doing mom?" _

_She really thought she was okay. "I'm fine sweetheart. You don't have to stay with me tonight, I'll be okay." She tried to assure her concerned daughter-in-law. "Really."_

_Emily just looked worried. And sad. And maybe a little uneasy. "I know you're fine. I just worry. And this is your last night here before you get to come stay with us. We couldn't be more excited to have you." _

_She meant that. They got along marvelously and this way she wouldn't have to worry about April being alone. They were close anyway and it really wouldn't change that much in their world. April was easy. She cooked, she cleaned…_

"_You should get home, I'm going to finish putting together the last of my things before I go to bed. I'll call you in the morning?" April smiled, standing up to hug her goodbye. Emily stood up and gently hugged her. _

_April rubbed her back softly, trying to assure her that she would be okay for the night. "I'll be fine sweetheart."_

_Emily nodded. Her eyes were full of tears and she was trying to convince herself that her mother-in-law wasn't hurting. It wasn't working though. _

"_You know I love you very much, right?" April reminded her in a lasting effort to reassure the woman. _

_Emily nodded again. She did know that. _

_Shortly after that April was able to usher her out of the house so she could be alone. She just needed a night alone to gather herself and her thoughts. The loneliness was overwhelming. _

_She sat in the lounge chair in their living room because she still hadn't gone back to their bedroom where he had passed. It was too soon. It was their bedroom. They shared it and it felt wrong to be there without him. _

_Luckily she kept a box of tissues on the table near her chair because her eyes were like a broken spring cloud. The tears started and then they didn't stop. Nothing was the same anymore, nothing was the way it had been for the past sixty years. Seventy years really. _

_She hadn't been truly alone in sixty years. Reality was setting in and honestly at that point she was done. Her other half was gone. _

_Eventually she was able to nod off though, right where she sat. The table lamp was off but the tree was still lit up in the corner. They were planning on taking it down tomorrow when the movers came. _

There's an old saying by Plato that goes, "According to Greek Mythology, humans were originally created with four arms, four legs and head with two faces. Fearing their power, Zeus split them into two separate parts, condemning them to spend their lives in search of their other halves."

Half her soul went missing the morning her husband died and she never really got it back. She died that last night alone in their home. Graycin, Erin and Colin assumed the Lord took her and it was her time. Emily knew she went to find her other half.

**The end.**


End file.
